Some people believe sports and politics don’t mix. Curt Schilling isn’t one of those people.
The former Boston Red Sox pitcher has been very unfiltered in his political views since retiring from Major League Baseball in 2009, and it appears he’s taking his strong conservative beliefs even further.
Schilling announced Tuesday in a radio interview with Rhode Island’s WPRO-AM that he plans to enter Massachusetts’ 2018 Senate race and run against Democrat Elizabeth Warren.
Schilling admitted he still needs to talk to his family, so his bid isn’t official yet. But it appears the three-time World Series champion is very serious about entering the political arena to take on Warren, who beat out Republican Scott Brown in 2012. (The state’s other Senator post, currently held by Democrat Ed Markey, will be up for election in 2020).
Schilling’s political stance is no secret — he’s a staunch Republican who routinely shares his conservative opinions on social media. Those opinions can be controversial, though; ESPN fired the former right-hander from his role as a baseball analyst in April, one day after he posted an anti-transgender meme on his Facebook page.
Yet Schilling has bulldozed ahead, even declaring in August he wants to run for president in 2024. The 49-year-old has built up some good will in the New England area thanks to his famous “Bloody Sock Game” and some strong years with the Red Sox, but it seems unlikely that popularity would transfer over to the political arena.
Thumbnail photo via Howard Smith/USA TODAY Sports Images
