Cruz says Mamdani, AOC, Platner show Democrats' leftward shift: 'That's where the energy is'
SUMTER, S.C. — Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said the Democratic Party has been "radicalized," pointing to New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, Maine Senate hopeful Graham Platner and Rep....
By Fox News · Fox News
SUMTER, S.C. — Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said the Democratic Party has been "radicalized," pointing to New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, Maine Senate hopeful Graham Platner and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., as signs of where the party is headed. "Look, unfortunately, I think that's the base of the Democrat Party," Cruz told Fox News Digital. "If you look at who the Democrats are, they are Comrade Mamdani, they are AOC, they are Graham Platner, this communist Nazi oyster farmer. Who knew that even was a thing?" "That is where the energy is in the Democrat Party. That's where the money is. They've been radicalized." While on the campaign trail with South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson ahead of Tuesday's closely watched Republican gubernatorial runoff against Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, Cruz accused Democrats of drifting away from the political center, saying the party is "motivated" by opposition to President Donald Trump. DEM SOCIALIST'S NYC PRIMARY UPSET SIGNALS 'GENERATIONAL' SHIFT IN DEMOCRATIC PARTY, STRATEGISTS SAY "Much of it is that they just hate President Trump ," Cruz said. "It's really tragic to see that President Trump has been an extraordinary president, and yet the Democrats, all they are motivated by is hatred for him." Cruz added the Democratic Party has lost touch with the priorities of everyday Americans, who prefer "common sense" policies. LIZ PEEK: DEMOCRATS' IDENTITY CRISIS SHOWS NO SIGN OF GETTING BETTER. IT'S ACTUALLY GETTING WORSE "I don't think that's where most Americans are," Cruz said. "I know it's not where the people of South Carolina are, and I think people want common sense, and that ain't the Democrat Party today." Cruz highlighted Platner, Mamdani and Ocasio-Cortez as evidence of a shift . Platner secured the Democratic Senate nomination in Maine this month despite a series of scandals, including inflammatory online comments made on Reddit, a well-publicized and now-covered chest tattoo that resembled a Nazi…