Critics pounce as prominent Dem senator seems to make admission about party's far-left ‘fringe'

Sen. Cory Booker’s response to a question about Abdul El-Sayed’s election campaign in Michigan has some online observers questioning whether the Democratic Party’s elected officials are behind the socialist-adjacent candidate.

The Democrat from New Jersey joined Kristen Welker on ABC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday, where he was asked a wide variety of policy questions along with a question about President Donald Trump's announcement that he is banning CNN, MS NOW, Politico from White House grounds. But the question about El-Sayed stole the show.

"Senator, you see there in our polls that socialism is viewed even more negatively than the 'MAGA movement,'" Welker began. "President Trump is trying to paint progressives, and frankly all Democrats, as socialists, and we're seeing one of the big battles play out for progressivism in Michigan right now with Abdul El-Sayed... do you think Democrats are drawing a firm enough line between themselves and socialism?"

Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., is leaning in on tax cuts ahead of his 2026 midterm campaign. (PG/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)

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"Again, this is really what the Republicans want to do — focus on a few fringe people," Booker replied.

He then diverted away from discussing the party establishment's fracture with far-left candidates, and pivoted to attacking Trump's economic and foreign policies.

"I serve in the United States Senate and I could go through my colleagues, left and right," Booker said. "What we want right now is to end these reckless tariffs and drive down prices, to end this war to drive down prices, to give a tax plan for this country that puts more money in working peoples' pockets and ends the giveaways to the wealthiest of Americans."

Political observers on X quickly seized on the response, claiming that Booker is too late in the push to try and distinguish the Democratic Party from its far-left fringe and the rise in socialist candidates in this year's midterm elections.

"Oops," radio show host Jason Rantz said simply of Booker's comments to Welker.

Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed speaks to members of the media ahead of the Michigan Democratic Party's 2026 nominating convention in Lansing, Mich., on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. (Sarah Rice/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"A day late and a dollar short," said Trump Media & Technology Group communications adviser Katie Zacharia. "Senator Booker is trying to disassociate as the 'Big Tent' burns."

She added that the senator should have condemned socialism outright, claiming the "Dem party [is] in disarray."

SEE IT: DEM SENATORS RALLY BEHIND EL-SAYED BUT DUCK QUESTIONS ON PROGRESSIVE AGENDA

"I really wonder what the internals they showed those senators in DC said," said author Carl Paulus, speculating that polling within the Democratic Party could suggest that the far left is dragging them down and causing sitting lawmakers to change their tune with just weeks until November's election.

Booker was one of several senators who met with El-Sayed during a trip to Washington, D.C. last week.

After the meeting, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., El-Sayed's campaign described the gathering as "warm."

Michigan Senate Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed met with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to discuss the path forward for his campaign and Democrats’ efforts to win back control of Congress following a longstanding feud between the two. (Finn Gomez/Getty Images; Daniel Heuer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"We’re united in the fact that we have to win Michigan. Whatever our difference is, our agreement on the importance of winning Michigan to take back the Senate majority [is] overwhelming," El-Sayed told MS NOW of the meeting.

"We had a warm meeting, good conversation, and I know that we left that conversation committed to doing what we need to do to take on different perspectives. And I also know that the things that bring us together are so much bigger than any of the disagreements that we have."

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Fox News Digital reached out to Booker's office and the El-Sayed campaign but did not hear back at time of publication.