Republicans are actively recruiting former ESPN anchor Sage Steele to run for Congress, hoping her burgeoning popularity among conservatives can flip a swing district. Political blog Daily Ructions first reported this week that GOP leaders and donors have been “wooing” Steele, who left ESPN last month after settling a lawsuit alleging retaliation and violation of free speech rights. The New York Post later confirmed that “exploratory conversations have occurred,” and party leaders want her to run in Connecticut’s 5th District against Democratic Rep. Jahana Hayes, a three-term incumbent. Hayes beat her GOP rival by less than 2,000 votes in 2022. “No comment on this ... but I appreciate you asking,” Steele told IndyStar on Wednesday. The longtime SportsCenter host was briefly benched by ESPN in 2021 over comments she made about COVID vaccine mandates, Barack Obama identifying as Black, and sexual harassment of women reporters. She then filed a lawsuit, claiming she was forced to apologize “under threat of losing her job” and denied plum assignments.