Sen. Kennedy says democratic socialists will ‘lead their party to defeat’ in November

Senate Sen. Kennedy says democratic socialists will ‘lead their party to defeat’ in November Comments: by Sarah Davis - 07/12/26 7:00 AM ET Comments: Link copied by Sarah Davis - 07/12/26 7:00 AM ET Comments: Link copied

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Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) said the Democratic Party is now controlled by their “loon wing” of democratic socialists who will lead them to electoral disaster in November in a new interview on Sunday.

The GOP senator told John Catsimatidis, the radio host of “Cats Roundtable,” that the rising popularity among Democratic voters for democratic socialist candidates will “lead their party to defeat” in the November elections.

“Socialism has never worked,” Kennedy said. “Any country that’s ever tried it has ultimately rejected it … I could just go down the list. It didn’t work there, it won’t work in America, and I don’t think the American people will embrace it.”

Republicans and some Democrats have voiced opposition to the rising support among Democratic voters for democratic socialist or populist candidates.

Several of these candidates have unseated incumbent Democratic lawmakers in primary races across the nation, raising questions about the party’s future direction.

On Catsimatidis’s show last Sunday, former independent Sen. Joe Manchin (W.V.) blamed the rise in democratic socialist candidates on a “void of leadership” in the Democratic Party.

“The two main parties — the Democrats and the Republicans — are now reaping what they sowed, which is total control basically by aggressive zealots on the extremes,” Manchin said.

Political commentator Stephen A. Smith warned that these candidates “could ultimately spell doom for the Democratic Party.”

“You can beat Trump. You can beat any of his successors. But in order to do so, you‘re going to have to come together as a party under one umbrella,” Smith said, adding that the party “can’t be at the mercy of those on the extreme left.”

However, some Democrats have lauded these candidates’ calls for institutional reforms.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) said the rise in democratic socialists indicates that the party’s voters are looking for fighters.

“I think people are looking for someone who will fight for them, who is going to advocate for the fact that we have people who are working twice as hard for no real resources,” Moore told The Hill’s Judy Kurtz and Hillary Howard.

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