Delaware Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester sidestepped a question about where socialism has proven “beneficial” while discussing the recent New York primary election results.
During an appearance Wednesday morning on CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” Blunt Rochester was asked about primary contests in which three socialist candidates won, including victories over two sitting lawmakers.
Instead of addressing what those outcomes might mean for the Democratic Party more broadly, Blunt Rochester framed the results as a sign of healthy political engagement.
“I think that, first of all, the fact that people are engaged at a level they’ve never been engaged before is a positive thing, especially in the 250th anniversary of this country,” Blunt Rochester said. “We want people to participate. What I can say, though, about Democrats, and as someone who is working to win the majority, what I can say is that politics are local.”
She went on to say Democratic campaigns will vary depending on the state or district, pointing to Alaska Senate candidate Mary Peltola’s message centered on “fish, family and freedom.”
“Fish might not work in New York, or it might not work in North Carolina, but that works there. And so for us, the most important thing is that we hear the people. We want to be known that we’re listening to them and that we’re fighting for them. And again, it might look different in different places across the country, but we do believe that people are concerned about this economy and the cost of things. And so we’re going to continue to fight for them. So to me, it’s a win-win,” Blunt Rochester said.
EXCLUSIVE: Mamdani and House Candidates Draw Scrutiny Over Links to Activist Accused of Hamas Support
“Where has socialism ever worked, senator?” CNBC host Joe Kernen asked.
“Is that another question or is that for the next interview?” Blunt Rochester replied.
Kernen repeated his question, to which Blunt Rochester replied, “Well, when you have me come back on we can talk about all the races across the country.”
Kernen then acknowledged that the remark was a “rhetorical question that I was answering myself” and thanked her for her time.
Fox News Digital reached out to Blunt Rochester’s office for comment.
New York candidates Brad Lander, Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier each campaigned on a socialist economic agenda, anti-Israel posture and opposition to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Before the election, they were endorsed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
Fox News’ Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.
