Who Is Steve Kornacki? How the MSNBC Analyst Is Dominating Election Coverage

Steve Kornacki MSNBC
MSNBC

The election news cycle has been a little wild to say the least, but there’s been one steady source of entertainment — MSNBC’s Steve Kornacki.

The National Political Correspondent for NBC News and MSNBC has been standing vigilant at his digital map to update numbers, illustrate new trends in incoming votes and provide clarity. At a time where anxiety and uncertainty reign supreme, Kornacki has been there to reassure viewers that the voting process is keeping pace and following procedure.

Part of the MSNBC team since 2013, Kornacki has drawn wide scale social media attention during this election cycle for his enthusiasm at the digital map, also known on-air as the “Big Board.” Originally from Groton, Massachusetts, Kornacki attended Boston University and went on to work for various news sources and publications including Salon, the New York Observer and New Jersey’s local News 12 station.

With calculator and notes in hand, viewers rely on his know-how to get them through, and it’s definitely reflecting in the online attention he’s receiving. And it’s moments like the one, below, where he accurately predicts differences between the candidates and their votes.

Among some of Kornacki’s biggest fans are TV stars, including Schitt’s Creek creator and star Dan Levy, who shared the same video of Kornacki with the caption, “Marry Me.” Meanwhile, actress Emmy Rossum, best known for Shameless, wondered, “Who is gonna play STEVE KORNACKI on SNL is all I wanna know?”

There’s even been comparisons between Kornacki’s board and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia‘s infamous Charlie Kelly (Charlie Day) mailroom freakout from the Season 4 episode “Sweet Dee Has a Heart Attack.”

So, while some viewers can’t talk about anything but Trump and Biden, Kornacki isn’t far behind in the ratings. His love for the Big Board isn’t confined to the current election coverage either as Full Frontal with Samantha Bee created a compilation of Kornacki’s Big Board moments throughout the 2020 race.

Some famous fans also worried about the analyst’s well-being as he rarely stepped away from his post. “I honestly dunno how steve is still going im bout to die,” Chrissy Teigen lamented in a tweet of herself watching Kornacki.

Director Ava DuVernay echoed Teigen’s sentiments, tweeting, “Kornacki. Doing election math on-air for what seems like ninety hours straight. Major props.” Meanwhile, actor Billy Eichner wondered about the reporter’s post-election status, “What happens to Kornacki? Do we ever see him again? Or does he fly away with an umbrella like Mary Poppins?”

Only time will tell when it comes to Eichner’s prediction, but one thing’s for sure — we hope everyone’s election coverage obsession, Steve Kornacki, gets the nap he deserves.