Sen. LeBron James? Here's Why Twitter Is Talking About It

Social media users are buzzing over whether NBA champion and Akron native LeBron James would run for Senate.

Calls for the pro athlete’s sparked Monday (January 25) after Republican Sen. Rob Portman announced he would not seek re-election in 2022.

Portman pointed to “partisan gridlock” as a reason for stepping down.

“I feel fortunate to have been entrusted by the people of Ohio to represent them in the US Senate. Today, I am announcing that I have made a decision not to run again in 2022,” Portman announced in a lengthy statement issued Monday. “This was not an easy decision because representing the people of Ohio has been an honor. But I’ve been doing this a long time, longer than I ever intended…In these next two years, I will continue to be actively engaged, doing my best to provide hope as we try to get through the devastating coronavirus pandemic and doing my best to help bring our great country together, to help us heal, so we address the many challenges we face together.”

James was born in Akron and was an instrumental part of the Cleveland Cavaliers team for more than 10 seasons, including when the team won the championship in 2016. He currently plays for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Although James has chimed in on political issues on social media before, he hasn’t weighed in on a possible senate bid as of Monday afternoon.

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