House Democrat lashes out when grilled on whether socialist victories would threaten Dem unity
House of Representatives Democrats House Democrat lashes out when grilled on whether socialist victories would threaten Dem unity
Rep. John Larson, D-Conn., expressed confidence Jeffries can manage ideological tension inside the caucus
By
Alec Schemmel , Chad Pergram Fox News
Published
June 26, 2026 5:01pm EDT close 
Video WATCH: House Dem clashes with Fox reporter over socialist candidates’ threat to Jeffries speakership
Rep. John Larson, D-Conn., got into a heated exchange with Fox News’ Chad Pergram over whether the DSA-affiliated candidates who won in New York City's primaries could create headaches for House Democrats and a possible Speaker Hakeem Jeffries.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!Rep. John Larson, D-Conn., clashed with Fox News’ correspondent Chad Pergram on Capitol Hill while being pressed on whether Democratic Socialists of America-backed candidates who won New York primaries this week could threaten Democratic unity and complicate House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ path to the speakership.
The exchange came after several socialist candidates won Democratic nominations in New York City this week, fueling questions about whether the party’s left flank could complicate Democrats’ messaging and create new headaches for Jeffries if Democrats win back control of the House.
Larson defended New York voters’ right to choose their nominees and repeatedly expressed confidence that Jeffries, D-N.Y., could manage any new ideological tension inside the House Democratic Caucus, while also saying he opposes antisemitism and agreeing that some DSA positions are not very American.
"Isn't it going to create hassles here on Capitol Hill? For Jeffries?" Larson was asked.
SOCIALISTS CHEER ‘SHOCKWAVE’ PRIMARY NIGHT AS DSA-BACKED CANDIDATES WIN, ADVANCE ACROSS THE MAP
WASHINGTON - DECEMBER 5: Rep. John Larson, D-Conn., arrives for the House Ways and Means Committee "Hearing with the IRS Whistleblowers: Hunter Biden Investigation Obstruction in Their Own Words" in the Longworth House Office Building on Tuesday, December 5, 2023. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
"The voters of New York make up their own mind. We don't control voters of New York. In America, in a free Democratic-Republic, people get to choose their elective representatives," Larson shot back. "The people of New York have made a decision. The people in Wyoming make decisions too, the people in other states make decisions. That's the way democracy works."
Pressed on whether DSA-affiliated candidates coming to Capitol Hill would create division and dissension inside the House Democratic Caucus, Larson said Jeffries will "bring everybody together," arguing he has been able to adequately handle numerous challenges thus far and will do so again with anymore that come his way.
"Hakeem Jeffries is the greatest leader that we can have, because he will bring everybody together, as he has with the 11 separate, different caucuses and more in the Democratic caucus already," Larson responded.
Larson was then pressed on whether the DSA-backed candidates could present a new kind of challenge for Jeffries, particularly as he tries to become Speaker.
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"There was some argument out there that, you know, if this was Nancy Pelosi some years ago at the height of her powers, she'd be able to finesse this — he's never been Speaker," Pergram posited to Larson.
"Well, she wasn't Speaker for a long time either, but she became Speaker and she did an outstanding job. Jeffries is going to be an outstanding Speaker because of his ability to bring people together," Larson said back.
"Is there any backlash in the caucus about — and again, these are folks from New York, [Jeffries] is from New York, right? Schumer's from New York — that this could undercut some of them. If others in the party think that these folks are going to drag them too far to the left?" Pergram continued to press.
HAKEEM JEFFRIES CONFRONTED ON 'YOU'RE NEXT' CHANTS FOLLOWING NY DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST VICTORIES
Rep. John Larson-D, Conn, and House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi, greet fans as they walk to their seats at RFK stadium during the annual congressional baseball game one year in D.C. (Philip Scott Andrews/Roll Call/Getty Images)
"Hakeem Jeffries will be the Speaker of the House, plain and simple," Larson shot back. "And why? Because he's demonstrated his leadership and he's held the most diverse caucus ever assembled in the history of the world together. And that's what he's great at, and that's what it'll continue to do."
Larson was also pressed on whether Democrats would distance themselves from candidates or groups accused of holding antisemitic views.
"Will you stand by people if they have antisemitic views?" Pergram asked.
"The people in New York chose the candidates they did," Larson replied.
When pressed again, Larson said, "Am I against antisemitism? If that’s your question," making clear he opposed antisemitism while continuing to argue that voters had the right to choose their nominees.
DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKER SLAMS MAMDANI, SAYS PARTY SHOULD HAVE 'ZERO PATIENCE' FOR 'INTIFADA' RHETORIC
Congressional candidate Claire Valdez, Congressional candidate Brad Lander, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and Congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier raise their hands during a Get Out the Vote (GOTV) rally at King's Theater on June 18, 2026 in New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
The exchange continued as as Larson was grilled on Democratic Socialists of America statement that he said called for eliminating the Senate and having the House choose the president and the Supreme Court.
"That’s the DSA," Larson said. "The people of New York decide who their elected officials are. The people of Connecticut decide who their elected officials are."
Asked whether that sounded radical, Larson said, "A lot of people sound radical to me. Radical on the left. Radical on the right. What’s your point?"
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"Should you stand out and argue against saying, 'Hey, we shouldn't have people, you know, throw out the Senate. Eliminate the Senate? That's not very American," Pergram proposed back.
"I don’t think that’s very American either," Larson said before he disengaged and took questions from another reporter.
Alec Schemmel is a Politics Reporter for Fox News Digital who is originally from Charlotte, North Carolina but now resides in the Washington D.C.-Baltimore Metro Area.
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
