Horowitz : Governor LeBron James: (D-OH)

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Rob Horowitz, GoLocalWorcester MINDSETTER™

Does "The King" have a future in politics?

While sports reporters, analysts, and talk show callers debate the basketball pluses and minuses of the world’s greatest basketball player deciding to leave the Miami Heat and return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, what might turn out to be even more compelling is what LeBron James decides to do when his playing days end. As one of the most thoughtful, articulate, composed, and charismatic professional athletes I’ve ever seen, James possesses all the attributes to be very successful in electoral politics. I would not be at all surprised if it turned out that LeBron James became an Ohio Governor or US Senator and ended up playing a significant and positive role not only in the politics and government of his home state, but in national politics.

The path from sports star to successful politician is a well-worn one. LeBron James does not have to look far for prominent examples in his own sport. Former Phoenix Suns all-star point guard Kevin Johnson is the current Mayor of Sacramento, emerging as a national leader on the issue of school reform and improving public education. Former Detroit Piston Hall of Famer Dave Bing recently served as Mayor of Detroit, and former Washington Bullet and University of Maryland standout Tom McMillen served 3 terms as a Congressman.

Most notable is former New York Knick Bill Bradley. One of the most prominent and effective members of the US Senate for nearly two decades Bradley mounted a spirited, but ultimately unsuccessful primary challenge to then Vice-President Al Gore for the 2000 Democratic Presidential nomination.

The celebrity, connections and name recognition that comes with being a star professional athlete is the equivalent of political gold. This is especially the case for the savvy James, who is not only returning to his initial pro basketball team, but to his deep Ohio roots.

Roundly criticized for the over-hyped and abrupt way he left Cleveland for Miami four years ago, James struck just the right note in announcing his return with a plainly spoken, but eloquent statement done with the assistance of Sport Illustrated writer Lee Jenkins and posted on the magazine’s web site. As James said, “Before anyone ever cared where I would play basketball, I was a kid from Northeast Ohio. It’s where I walked. It’s where I ran. It’s where I cried. It’s where I bled. It holds a special place in my heart. People there have seen me grow up. I sometimes feel like I’m their son. Their passion can be overwhelming. But it drives me. I want to give them hope when I can. I want to inspire them when I can. My relationship with Northeast Ohio is bigger than basketball. I didn’t realize that four years ago. I do now.”

And in a passage that may foreshadow a political career, James writes: “I feel my calling here goes above basketball. I have a responsibility to lead, in more ways than one, and I take that very seriously. My presence can make a difference in Miami, but I think it can mean more where I’m from. I want kids in Northeast Ohio, like the hundreds of Akron third-graders I sponsor through my foundation, to realize that there’s no better place to grow up. Maybe some of them will come home after college and start a family or open a business. That would make me smile. Our community, which has struggled so much, needs all the talent it can get.”

Unlike Michael Jordan, who was careful to steer clear of politics, famously refusing to endorse Harvey Gantt, Mayor of Charlotte, and an African-American civil rights pioneer when he ran against US Senator Jesse Helms, a virulent racist, saying, “Republicans buy sneakers too.” LeBron James has been unafraid to take political stands. A vocal and public supporter of President Obama, James was particularly outspoken on the NBA’s need to banish Clippers owner Donald Sterling for his outrageous racist remarks.

Governor James. Senator James. President James? If LeBron decides that his future lies in politics, the sky is the limit.

Rob Horowitz is a strategic and communications consultant who provides general consulting, public relations, direct mail services and polling for national and state issue organizations, various non-profits and elected officials and candidates. He is an Adjunct Professor of Political Science at the University of Rhode Island.