Stephen A. Smith has fired a shot across the bow of one of his potential 2028 Democratic presidential rivals by saying that New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D) will not appeal to centrist voters.
Smith, who initially ruled himself out of the 2028 presidential race before thinking better of it and ruling himself back in a few weeks later, told viewers on Tuesday’s episode of his podcast, The Stephen A. Smith Show, that the outspoken leftist congresswoman would “turn off the centrist voters they need to win competitive races.”
“I think if you are a Democrat, if you are a leftist who rails against the system, who believes free-market capitalism spearheaded by billionaires is not the way to go, if you believe that not enough attention is being paid to the desolate and disenfranchised, if you believe that higher taxes is the way to go, that a focus shouldn’t be on securing the borders, if you believe those kind of things, and that’s where you stand ideologically, AOC is your candidate,” Smith said. “No doubt about that.”
However, Smith had trouble seeing AOC’s positions on border security and other important issues resonating with “centrist” Americans.
“Most people in the country are centrists; they’re moderates. Whether they’re Republican moderates or Democratic moderates or just flat-out centrists who are independents – that’s most of the American population,” he said. “They are not MAGA, right, and they are not progressive left. She clearly is (progressive left). And not be literal and not to be taken literally, but she gives the impression, when you talk about universal healthcare and you talk about other things, if you equate it to taxing Americans 70% of their income she wouldn’t be against it. That ain’t going to win you elections. That’s not going to win you elections.
“If you’re living in this day and age, and you’re talking about fighting for certain rights as it pertains to transgender individuals, athletes transitioning, and men competing in women’s sports and stuff like that, which she is not about to speak against. If you think that’s going to win you an election, you’ve got your head in the sand.”
Smith lamented that he had not heard a clear plan and path forward from the Democrats.
“The real issue I’m having right now with the Democratic Party is I’m waiting to hear what your plan is,” he said. “It can’t be, ‘We’re just against all things Trump.’
“What’s your plan? What’s your plan for the economy? What’s your plan as it pertains to comprehensive immigration reform? What is your plan when it comes to foreign affairs? What is your plan as it pertains to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, or should I say Israel with Hamas? What is your plan with Russia and Ukraine? Is it just giving Ukraine more money, like Biden was willing to do? What are your plans? … What is the plan as it pertains to the vast majority of Americans in this country?”
Earlier this month, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R, CA) said he believes AOC and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders are in the lead for the 2028 Democratic nomination.
