Longtime Democratic strategist James Carville has sharply criticized Oliver Larkin, a candidate from the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), who is challenging incumbent Rep. Jared Moskowitz in Florida's 25th Congressional District primary.
Carville, known for his role in Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential victory, called Larkin and other DSA members "silly people" and a "pack of fools" during an appearance on Fox News' "Jesse Watters Primetime." He also described Larkin as having the "attribute of every DSA member in the country" in that he "has a motor mouth."
Larkin, who previously worked on Sen. Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign, is seeking to unseat Moskowitz, a mainstream Democrat backed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and AIPAC. Larkin is the only DSA-endorsed House candidate running in a competitive swing district this cycle.
Larkin has drawn support from figures like political streamer Hasan Piker. He has stated that "Democratic socialism can win in any district, in any race, for any office all across the country" and expressed pride in carrying the "torch forward as a DSA candidate."
In a recent interview, Larkin suggested that establishment Democrats like Carville are seeing their influence wane as a new generation of leadership emerges. He also warned against excluding certain voices from the party, stating, "I think it is very foolhardy to be excluding people from the Democratic Party that they’re going to be begging for our votes in 2028."
Carville's remarks come amid broader discussions about the ideological direction of the Democratic Party, with far-left and socialist candidates achieving primary victories in various races this spring and summer.