Stephen A. Smith emphasized how socialism could threaten the Democratic Party’s presidential goals for 2028 if it embraces democratic socialist candidates like New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Concerns About Socialism

During his ‘Straight Shooter’ show on Monday, Smith reacted to Mamdani’s claims on ABC News that a democratic socialist ‘can get elected anywhere across this country for any position.’ Though Smith agreed with Mamdani on concerns about the wealth gap and the working class, he bristled at the idea of the Democratic Party pushing socialism.

Smith added that Mamdani’s socialist policies are unlikely to appeal to many voters outside New York City and could risk damaging the Democratic Party’s broader reach. ‘If he’s coming, what does that mean for the rest of America? Because I got questions. Where has socialism ever succeeded? If so, tell us where that is. How is it going to succeed in New York? How are you going to sell that in a capitalistic society? You might do it in New York with young voters. What about the people in the suburbs? What about them? You really, really think this kind of message is going to resonate with them?’ Smith asked.

He continued, ‘If it resonates within the Democratic Party, but it doesn’t have a snowball’s chance of resonating in a general election, then you’re basically handing the presidency to the GOP as well. That’s what you’re doing because the party, the Democratic Party, will have been perceived as being fragmented. That’s what I’m seeing when I see Zohran Mamdani. That’s what I’m looking at, and that’s what I see when I see his ascension taking fold before our very eyes.’

Smith acknowledged that it was important to pay attention to Mamdani’s rise in popularity, noting that the wealth gap is real and there are two Americas in this country, the haves and the have-nots.

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.