In short: Scott Rasmussen is a 70-year-old American pollster and political analyst who co-founded ESPN with his father in the 1970s, later built Rasmussen Reports into one of the country’s best-known polling brands, and today runs RMG Research and the Napolitan Institute.
Opening hook: If you searched “Scott Rasmussen Wikipedia,” you’re probably trying to sort out who he is, what he currently does, and why his name keeps showing up in political coverage. This guide breaks down his career from ESPN to polling, his family background, and the facts most often searched about him — verified and dated so you’re not reading outdated information.
Background: Who Is Scott Rasmussen and Why Are People Searching for Him?
Scott William Rasmussen is an American public opinion pollster, political analyst, and author. He is the president of RMG Research, founder of the Napolitan Institute, and an editor-at-large for Ballotpedia. Long before any of that, though, he made a very different kind of history: in the 1970s, Rasmussen co-founded the sports network ESPN with his father, Bill Rasmussen.
Rasmussen began public opinion polling in the 1980s and founded Rasmussen Reports in 2003, where he served as pollster and president for ten years until leaving the company in 2013. People search his name for a mix of reasons — curiosity about his ESPN origins, interest in his current polling work, or because he’s appeared as a guest analyst on cable news and now hosts his own TV show.
📌 Quick Fact: Scott currently hosts a weekly TV show on Merit Street Media called “The Scott Rasmussen Show,” covering current events from the perspective of the American people.
Latest Update
No new controversy, scandal, arrest, or major life event involving Scott Rasmussen has been verified as of this date. His public activity remains centered on his ongoing professional work: leading polling operations through RMG Research, running the Napolitan Institute, contributing as an editor-at-large for Ballotpedia, and hosting his weekly television program. He also continues to write and speak publicly, and is a New York Times bestselling author known for his political commentary.
⚠️ Important note on unverified claims: If you’ve seen a headline suggesting something dramatic happened to Scott Rasmussen (a scandal, legal trouble, or similar claim), treat it as unconfirmed until you find it reported by a credible, named news outlet. This article does not repeat any such claim because none could be verified as true at the time of writing. It is worth noting that Scott Rasmussen and RMG Research have no affiliation with Rasmussen Reports today, which is a common source of confusion online — some outdated or unrelated news about “Rasmussen Reports” is sometimes mistakenly attributed to him personally.
Full Profile
Family and Early Life
Scott William Rasmussen was born March 30, 1956, at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. He was born to Lois Ann and Bill Rasmussen, and from an early age was exposed to the broadcasting business through his father, who worked for radio stations and later served as communications director for the New England Whalers ice hockey team. Rasmussen served as an announcer for the New England Whalers of the World Hockey Association, and has said his childhood idol was hockey legend Gordie Howe, who played for the team at the time.
Career Path
Rasmussen co-founded ESPN in 1978 with his father, Bill Rasmussen, going on to help launch the sports network in 1979 — a launch underscored by an advertising deal with Anheuser-Busch that was, at the time, the largest in cable television history. He later shifted into polling: in the 1990s he volunteered as a pollster for a congressional term-limits effort, and in 1995 founded a polling company called GrassRoots Research.
In the mid-1990s, Rasmussen became a pioneer of automated polling, moving the industry away from operator-assisted calls, and more than 20 years ago released the first-ever daily presidential tracking poll. He founded Rasmussen Reports in 2003, serving as pollster and president for ten years before leaving the company in 2013. After that, he founded the Rasmussen Media Group and continued polling through RMG Research. In 2024, he founded the Napolitan Institute, an initiative focused on civic engagement. He also serves as editor-at-large for Ballotpedia.
Age
Rasmussen is 70 years old, born March 30, 1956.
Religion
Publicly available sources do not report a specific religious affiliation for Scott Rasmussen. This detail has not been confirmed and is not included here as speculation.
Spouse/Partner
Rasmussen is married to Laura Rasmussen. He lives with his wife in Texas, and the couple has two grown children.
Net Worth
There is no verified, official net worth figure for Scott Rasmussen from a reliable financial source. Various unofficial estimate sites publish differing numbers, but none are independently confirmed, so no specific figure is stated here to avoid spreading unverified information.
Parents
His father is Bill Rasmussen and his mother is Lois Ann “Mickey” Rasmussen.
Height
No verified height figure for Scott Rasmussen is available from credible sources at this time.
Education
Rasmussen obtained his high school diploma from Minnechaug Regional High School in 1974, where he played goalie for the school’s hockey team. He began his studies at the University of Connecticut, then completed a bachelor’s degree in history at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana in 1986, and later earned an executive MBA from the Babcock Graduate School of Management at Wake Forest University.
Hometown/State of Origin
Rasmussen was born near Valparaiso, Florida, on Eglin Air Force Base. He currently resides in Texas.
Official Social Media / Website
Official site: scottrasmussen.com
✅ Key Career Milestones Verified As Of August 20, 2026: ESPN co-founding, Rasmussen Reports founding/exit, and current leadership of RMG Research and the Napolitan Institute are all consistently confirmed across multiple independent sources.
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1956 | Born at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida |
| 1974 | Graduated Minnechaug Regional High School |
| 1978–1979 | Co-founded and helped launch ESPN with father Bill Rasmussen |
| 1986 | Earned bachelor’s degree in history, DePauw University |
| 1995 | Founded GrassRoots Research polling company |
| 2003 | Founded Rasmussen Reports |
| 2013 | Left Rasmussen Reports |
| 2014 | Founded Rasmussen Media Group / launched Styrk.com |
| 2024 | Founded the Napolitan Institute |
| 2026 | Hosts “The Scott Rasmussen Show” on Merit Street Media; leads RMG Research |
Reader Questions (FAQ)
Is Scott Rasmussen related to Rasmussen Reports?
Yes — he founded Rasmussen Reports in 2003 and served as its president for a decade. However, he left the company in 2013 and neither he nor his current firm, RMG Research, has any affiliation with Rasmussen Reports today.
Did Scott Rasmussen really help start ESPN?
Yes, in the 1970s he co-founded ESPN with his father, Bill Rasmussen. The network launched in 1979 and quickly became a major player in cable television.
What does Scott Rasmussen do now?
He currently serves as president of RMG Research, founder of the Napolitan Institute, and editor-at-large for Ballotpedia. He also hosts a weekly TV show on Merit Street Media.
How old is Scott Rasmussen?
He was born March 30, 1956, making him 70 years old as of 2026.
Who is Scott Rasmussen’s wife?
His wife is Laura Rasmussen. The couple lives in Texas and has two grown children.
What is Scott Rasmussen’s net worth?
There is no independently verified net worth figure available for him. Estimates circulating online are unofficial and should not be treated as confirmed facts.
Where did Scott Rasmussen go to college?
He attended the University of Connecticut before completing a bachelor’s degree in history at DePauw University in 1986, and later earned an executive MBA from Wake Forest University’s Babcock Graduate School of Management.
Wrap-Up
Scott Rasmussen’s career is unusual because it spans two entirely different industries at a national scale — sports media and political polling — and he was a founding figure in both. Rather than trading on nostalgia from the ESPN years, he built a second, longer career defining how American public opinion gets measured and reported, from pioneering automated polling to launching the first daily presidential tracking poll.
His current work through RMG Research and the Napolitan Institute suggests he’s still active in shaping how polling and civic engagement data reach the public, rather than simply commenting from the sidelines. For readers who found this page searching “Scott Rasmussen Wikipedia,” the throughline across his career is consistent: he tends to build the infrastructure — a network, a polling firm, an institute — rather than just working within someone else’s.
As with any public figure, expect this page’s “Latest Update” section to be the part most likely to change. Bookmark this article or check back for future dated updates rather than relying on unverified claims elsewhere.
John Wood is the founder and lead editor of Biography Region. He researches and writes accurate, engaging biographies of celebrities, entrepreneurs, influencers, and public figures, delivering well-sourced, reader-focused content that informs and inspires.