Senator Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., has warned that the increasing influence of progressive and "radical leftist" candidates within the Democratic Party signals a fundamental shift that will define the party's presidential primary in 2028. Schmitt described the trend as a "hammer-and-sickle wave," suggesting it is more than an isolated incident and represents a "flashing red light" for the party's future.
Schmitt pointed to recent primary victories in New York City, where candidates supported by Mayor Zohran Mamdani unseated incumbent Democrats. He noted that similar insurgent progressive candidates are emerging in other key races, citing the tight primary contest in Michigan for a U.S. Senate seat.
"Their primaries now are going to be dominated by these people who want to go to war with Western civilization," Schmitt stated in an interview with Fox News Digital. "I mean, I'm not making this up, this is what they say they want to do. And so their [2028] presidential primary will be defined by this ideology."
The Republican senator suggested that the Democratic Party's current platform, particularly on immigration, represents a significant departure from past centrist positions once held by figures like former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Schmitt contrasted the current Democratic stance with legislation proposed in the 1990s that aimed to alter birthright citizenship, noting that Republicans are now advocating for similar changes.
Schmitt also speculated on the future leadership within the Democratic Party, suggesting that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., could face a primary challenge from progressive figures like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., or others aligned with the party's left wing. He asserted that "the money and the energy on the Democrat side right now are these radical leftist communists."