Steve Kornacki
Viewers tuning into MSNBC’s election coverage on Tuesday wasted no time in mourning the departure of Steve Kornacki, although most seemed to sympathize with the reporter’s replacement at the end of the night.
In April, it was announced that Kornacki (whose poll-tracking prowess and endearingly earnest wardrobe made him an unlikely TV icon in recent years) had signed with NBC as the network prepared to split from MSNBC.
Ali Velshi, a Canadian journalist who has worked at MSNBC (which will change its name to MS Now later this month) for about nine years, took over Kornacki’s regular role on Election Day.
Although some still expressed sadness over Kornacki’s absence, the consensus among the majority of those tuning in was refreshingly positive.
“Election nights with Steve Kornacki are big khakis to fill, but Ali Velshi is doing a great job!” wrote one person on X, formerly Twitter.
Another added: “Oh ali velshi on the big board??!!! I can back that up!”
The loudest praise, however, came from an X user who coined a nickname for Velshi’s outfit that rivaled Kornacki’s signature khaki pants.
Images of Noam Galai Vitty
“Today, [Velshi] “Introducing the… ALI VESTi as we have retired the Kornacki Khakis,” he wrote.
In an interview with People published Wednesday, Velshi said viewer feedback was “a lovely bonus” while also emphasizing the “practical” aspect of wearing a vest while on air.
“I’ve liked vests for years, but they were usually suit vests worn under a jacket,” he said. “I started including them in my on-air rotation more recently.”
He went on to note, “Partly it’s practical: studios run cool and a vest keeps me warm without a bulky jacket. Mostly, though, it’s a clean, tailored look that lets me move around on the board without bulking up.”
Viewers who miss Kornacki can still catch him on the air, digging into poll numbers, elections and sports, though only on NBC.
NBC via Getty Images
Although replacing a reporter who made People’s “Sexiest Man Alive” list and was dubbed the “crown jewel” of MSNBC’s election coverage is no easy task, Velshi said, “It was an honor.”
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“Steve set a high bar, and stepping on the wall on election night is equal parts adrenaline and discipline; my job is to make a seemingly chaotic flow of numbers feel coherent and useful in real time,” he told People. “I was proud of our team and grateful for how quickly viewers embraced my part of the coverage.”
Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated Ali Velshi’s background. He grew up in Canada but was born in Kenya.