Fox’s Sandra Smith Tells Republicans to ‘Wake Up’ as They’re Letting Dems ‘Own’ the ‘Affordability Thing’

Fox News’ Sandra Smith tried giving Republicans a “wake-up call” by warning them they are “letting” Democrats “own” the affordability debate going into the midterms.

On Tuesday’s The Five, Smith admitted Democrats are getting ahead on “affordability” while discussing “far left” Wisconsin gubernatorial hopeful Francesca Hong and her lack of endorsements from fellow progressives Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT).

“It’s special that Bernie Sanders and AOC can’t warm up to Hong, but I think there’s a wakeup call here. How in the world are Republicans letting Democrats, far-left, radical socialist Democrats, own the affordability thing?” Smith asked.

She then laughed off Democrats blaming President Donald Trump for current economic struggles while reading off gas prices under former President Joe Biden.

Smith argued:

Trump handed, after his first term, Biden gas prices at $2.39. He ran those prices up to a record $5 a gallon at the pump. Where were these people then? Now they want those policies back and more. Biden, Trump then handed off $2.81 a gallon. Biden handed off $3.10. Trump brought it back down in his second term to $2.80 cents a gallon. It’s back up near four, okay? So that’s where Democrats are saying, they’re crying, your gas prices are out. This is while we’re in the middle of the war ensuring that Iran doesn’t have nuclear weapons.

According to AAA averages, gas prices were below $3 before the United States launched strikes on Iran. The national average now sits at over $4. Americans have faced other increased costs due to the ongoing war, with inflation hitting a three-year high of 4.2% in May. It then fell to 3.5% for June.

Smith urged Republicans to do more to push back on “affordability” and to “own” the current situation, slamming the policies of candidates like Hong, including “state-guaranteed paid leave,” an increased minimum wage, a moratorium on AI data centers, and more.

Republicans, Smith added, needed to bring prices down before the midterm elections.

She said:

For Republicans to not own the affordability problem that Americans are suffering right now is a problem. They need to acknowledge that that happened and that happened under the last presidency. But now we’ve got to own it… You know what [Hong’s] talking to those voters about right now in their front yards? She’s talking about state guaranteed paid leave. She’s talking about raising the minimum wage to $20 an hour. Do you know what that’s going to do to small businesses? How many people that’s gonna put out of work? A one-year moratorium on new AI data center construction. She wants to raise income taxes on couples making just over $400,000 a year. So these are the solutions she’s offering at a very sensitive time for this affordability moment. But Republicans beware, don’t let them keep owning this afford ability message when the numbers clearly show these prices ran upward at the last administration and the onus is on Republicans to get them back down come midterm elections.

Watch above via Fox News.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!