Stephen A. Smith warns Democrats embracing socialism is 'handing the presidency to the GOP'

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.

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.

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"I am not a socialist, nor do I aspire to see socialism in the United States of America," Smith said. "I don't know anywhere in the world where true socialism has worked. I don't see it. I don't know where communism has worked."

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.

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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."

At the end of his show, Smith revealed that Mamdani "was supposed to be coming on" the show but has yet to appear to discuss the issues. Despite his concerns, Smith acknowledged that it was important to pay attention to Mamdani's rise in popularity.

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"That wealth gap is real, y'all. It's very, very real. There are two Americas in this country, no matter what way we slice it. The haves and the have-nots. And there's a lot more have-nots than haves, which is why Zohran Mamdani is relevant, if not more so. So think about that," Smith said.

Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani's office and the Democratic Socialists of America for comment.

Mamdani's original comments came after Mamdani-backed candidates Brad Lander, Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier won Democratic congressional primaries in New York, with Lander and Chevalier defeating incumbent Democrats. Other socialist candidates have also launched primary campaigns throughout the country.