Buttigieg asked about apparent far-left socialist takeover of party as he calls himself a 'Buttigieg Democrat'

Former Transportation Secretary and imaginable 2028 campaigner Pete Buttigieg drew disapproval from a erstwhile RNC president erstwhile he appeared to sidestep opportunities to disavow nan emergence of socialism successful nan Democratic Party and alternatively called himself a "Buttigieg Democrat."

Speaking connected "America Reports" Friday, Buttigieg declined to straight reside questions astir Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) policies, specified arsenic abolishing nan Senate and ending deportations, alternatively criticizing President Donald Trump’s overseas argumentation and economical record.

"Look, there's ever going to beryllium immoderate group successful my statement who spell excessively acold for me, group I disagree with. If you prime nan 5 aliases 10 aliases 15 furthest-left group successful our party, they're going to, by definition, disagree pinch a batch of others. But there's truthful overmuch that we do, successful fact, work together on," Buttigieg said.

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Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg speaks during a run arena for Denise Powell, nan Democratic campaigner for Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District, astatine Metro Community College's Center for Advanced Manufacturing connected July 14, 2026, successful Omaha, Neb. (Nikos Frazier/Omaha World-Herald via Getty Images)

"I deliberation 1 of nan reasons why you spot group who tally connected a committedness of shaking it up, whether it's a DSA campaigner connected nan near aliases whether it’s personification for illustration Donald Trump, is because group tin show that nan strategy we person is not conscionable showing its property — it's letting america down," he added.

A University of New Hampshire Granite State Poll published Wednesday places Buttigieg neck-and-neck pinch Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., successful a potential 2028 match-up. Earlier successful July, Ocasio-Cortez responded to concerns astir DSA proposals, including abolishing nan Senate, calling it a "constitutional question" and noting, "we've each sewage our complaints."

When pressed connected wherever he falls connected nan Democratic spectrum, Buttigieg said he doesn’t fresh accepted statement labels.

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"I'm a Pete Buttigieg Democrat. I deliberation I'm a common-sense Democrat, but of people everybody thinks that their ideas are communal consciousness to them," he said.

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg speaks to reporters backstage aft a rally astatine nan Mother Lode Theatre connected May 17, 2026, successful Butte, Mont. (Janie Osborne/Getty Images)

Fox News governmental expert Reince Priebus, who served arsenic RNC president and Trump White House main of staff, based on connected "America Reports" that Buttigieg was refusing to face nan socialist helping of his party, calling nan question and reply an illustration of mainstream Democrats aligning pinch "people that are acold extracurricular nan mainstream."

"The opponent, nan Democrats from wherever Pete Buttigieg is at, is aligning itself pinch group that are acold extracurricular nan mainstream. They're connected nan incorrect broadside of normal, and he didn't really reside that erstwhile he was pressed," Priebus said. "And that's nan large mobility for him."

MAMDANI-BACKED SOCIALIST WINS IN NEW YORK EXPOSE GROWING RIFT BETWEEN DEMOCRATIC ESTABLISHMENT, INSURGENT LEFT

Former Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus speaks during nan Republican National Convention astatine Fiserv Forum connected July 16, 2024, successful Milwaukee, Wis. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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Priebus’ warnings travel aft respective Democratic socialists won awesome superior elections, including successful New York and Colorado. Melat Kiros, a caller campaigner backed by nan DSA, pulled disconnected an upset successful Colorado, defeating longtime Democratic Rep. Diana DeGette successful Denver's heavy Democratic district.

In June, a group of far-left candidates won their superior elections successful New York pinch backing from New York City’s Democratic socialist mayor, Zohran Mamdani. The winners included newcomer Darializa Avila Chevalier, who hit Rep. Adriano Espaillat, and Brad Lander, who defeated Rep. Dan Goldman.

Still, erstwhile asked whether he was moving for president, Buttigieg insisted he was not.

"I'm not moving for anything," he said. "I'm helping group who are because this is simply a very important predetermination wherever group are seeing that their mundane lives — from nan value of state to healthcare, is connected nan statement — and a batch of group who mostly for illustration a Republican president still want to spot immoderate benignant of balance, immoderate benignant of check, immoderate benignant of restraint, and are considering possibly for nan first clip successful a agelong time, voting for a Democrat for Congress."