Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Ilhan Omar sidestepped questions regarding the rising influence of the socialist movement, particularly after the recent dominance of three candidates supported by New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani in the primaries.
On Tuesday night, Mamdani’s political strength was clear as all three House candidates he backed—Daliaza Avila Chevalier, Brad Lander, and Claire Valdez—won the Democratic primary in New York, defeating more moderate opponents.
Pelosi, a moderate herself, didn’t engage with reporters from Fox News Digital about her thoughts on the socialist candidates’ success.
Although Pelosi has never formally endorsed Mamdani, she did support socialist Dean Preston in the 2024 California 5th District Supervisor race.
In a previous interview on CBS’ 60 Minutes in 2019, she mentioned that she “rejects socialism as an economic system” and as representation of the Democratic Party.
“If people see it that way, that’s how they see it,” Pelosi stated. “That’s not what Democrats think.”
Omar, aligned with the progressive faction, similarly avoided discussing the implications of the New York primary results, including potential challenges for House Democrats under Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries if the socialist candidates succeed in Congress.
While Omar doesn’t openly identify as a socialist, her policy positions align closely with many socialist ideals, earning her the endorsement of the Democratic Socialists of America.
Pelosi and Omar exited without commenting further, but Georgia Rep. Hank Johnson expressed his enthusiasm for the newly elected lawmakers.
“I think the New York Democratic Party has selected three new Democrats to caucus, and I look forward to them joining,” Johnson told Fox News Digital.
When asked about criticisms regarding the candidates’ stance on Israel, Johnson clarified that they oppose the Israeli government rather than Israel itself.
“They weren’t anti-Israel. They were against an anti-Israel government,” he remarked.
“The government of Benjamin Netanyahu has caused significant damage to the state and people of Israel.”
Lander, identified as Jewish, articulated in his victory speech that one can critique Israel without being anti-Semitic, emphasizing that being anti-Zionist doesn’t equate to anti-Semitism.
All three candidates have openly criticized Israel’s military actions in Gaza, a stance that appears to resonate strongly with the progressive wing of the Democratic Party.
Johnson also took issue with the relationship between Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and former President Donald Trump, implying their roles in instigating the conflict with Iran.
“The local people will have a chance to amend the mistakes they’ve made,” Johnson commented.
“Just as the American populace has the opportunity to rectify the error of electing Donald Trump, who was, regrettably, manipulated into a war by Netanyahu.”
He concluded by stressing that public sentiment is against the war and the policies of the Israeli government that triggered it.
