Critics pounce as prominent Dem senator seems to make admission about party's far-left ‘fringe'

By Fox News · Fox News

Sen. Cory Booker’s response to a question about Abdul El-Sayed’s election campaign in Michigan has some online observers questioning whether the Democratic Party’s elected officials are behind the socialist-adjacent candidate. The Democrat from New Jersey joined Kristen Welker on ABC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday, when he was asked a wide variety of policy questions along with a question about President Donald Trump's announcement that he is banning CNN, MS NOW and Politico from White House grounds. But the question about El-Sayed stole the show. "Senator, you see there in our polls that socialism is viewed even more negatively than the 'MAGA movement,'" Welker began. "President Trump is trying to paint progressives, and frankly all Democrats, as socialists, and we're seeing one of the big battles play out for progressivism in Michigan right now with Abdul El-Sayed... do you think Democrats are drawing a firm enough line between themselves and socialism?" MICHIGAN SENATE CANDIDATE ENDORSED BY AOC AND BERNIE SANDERS INSISTS HE'S NOT A SOCIALIST "Again, this is really what the Republicans want to do — focus on a few fringe people," Booker replied. He then diverted away from discussing the party establishment's fracture with far-left candidates and pivoted to attacking Trump's economic and foreign policies. "I serve in the United States Senate and I could go through my colleagues, left and right," Booker said. "What we want right now is to end these reckless tariffs and drive down prices, to end this war to drive down prices, to give a tax plan for this country that puts more money in working peoples' pockets and ends the giveaways to the wealthiest of Americans." Political observers on X quickly seized on the response, claiming that Booker is too late in the push to try and distinguish the Democratic Party from its far-left fringe and the rise in socialist candidates in this year's midterm elections. "Oops," radio show host Jason Rantz said simply of Booker's comments…