Stephen A. Smith Warns Democratic Socialism Could Hand GOP the White House in 2028

Stephen A. Smith isn’t celebrating the socialist wave that has hit his hometown of New York City. Instead, the ESPN star is questioning whether Democratic Socialists like NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) will hurt the Democratic Party more than they will help it — and whether embracing them would doom the party in the 2028 election.

“If you’re a Democrat, particularly in New York City, Zohran Mamdani is coming. And if he’s coming, what does that mean for the rest of America? Because I got questions,” Smith said on his Straight Shooter podcast on Monday.

“Where has socialism ever succeeded? If so, tell us where that is. How you going to sell that in a capitalistic society?” he continued. “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 added, “What we’re talking about is this: if it resonates within the Democratic Party, but it doesn’t have a snowball’s chance [in hell] of resonating in a general election, than you’re basically handing the presidency to the GOP in 2028 as well. That’s what you’re doing.”

The sports pundit-turned-political commentator weighed in on socialism’s rise in the Democratic Party after three socialist candidates backed by Mamdani won their primaries last week in NYC.

Two of the candidates — Darializa Avila Chevalier (D) and Claire Valdez (D) — are card-carrying DSA members, just like the mayor. The third candidate is Brad Lander (D), a former member of the DSA who left the organization after its response to the October 7 Hamas terror attack in Israel.

Still, he earned Mamdani’s support by running more critically of Israel than did incumbent Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY). Lander has claimed American support for Israel made the USA “complicit in genocide.” 

Beyond their shared socialist beliefs, the three candidates also agree with Mamdani that ICE needs to be abolished.

The socialist wave was celebrated by Mamdani on election night and in interviews later in the week, but a number of establishment Democrats were unsettled by it. One centrist House Democrat told Axios that 2027 would be a “headache” for the party with them around, while another House Democrat reacted to the sweep by saying, “Holy sh*t.”

Bill Maher vented that the Democrats would “blow” the midterms if they embrace the “crazy” socialists, and James Carville urged congressional Democrats to shun any socialists who enter Congress.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump sardonically congratulated Mamdani on getting “3 solid Communists” elected. His tone shifted later in the week, when he said the Communists have started to make “their move” in the USA.

“The game is on,” Trump said. “Enjoy watching!”

Watch above.

Jason Cohen contributed to this report. 

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