Bill de Blasio backs Democrats' socialist wing, says Americans are 'hungry' for far-left vision
Former New York City mayor says Americans are hungry for the socialist vision offered by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Zohran Mamdani and Bernie Sanders.
Former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio says Americans are "hungry" for the vision being offered by leaders on the Democratic Party's socialist flank as Democrats debate the party's ideological future.
"There are specific leaders who have emerged out of DSA who are providing a vision that actually a lot of people in this country are hungry for," de Blasio said Tuesday on "The Ingraham Angle."
De Blasio pointed to Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani as leaders he believes are tapping into frustration with the political status quo by focusing on issues such as affordability.
DE BLASIO DEFENDS SOCIALIST 'INSURGENCY' INSIDE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, SAYS TRUMP HAS BECOME 'STATUS QUO'
"It is about the leaders that are emerging, like Bernie Sanders, AOC, Mamdani, some of the folks who won primaries lately," he said.
"They are pointing in a specific direction, and there's a reason they're winning."
AOC CRUISES TO PRIMARY VICTORY AS SPECULATION SWIRLS ABOUT POLITICAL FUTURE
De Blasio, who has said he is neither a socialist nor a member of the DSA, nevertheless expressed support for several parts of the movement's economic and social agenda when pressed by host Laura Ingraham.
He expressed support for ending the war in Iran, Medicare for All, raising taxes on America's wealthiest people — policies he argued speak directly to voters' concerns about affordability.
"These progressive candidates are winning because they're talking about how to raise wages, how to lower health care costs, how to get out of the war in Iran that is shooting up gasoline prices," he said, also acknowledging there are limits to his alignment with the movement.
Outside of affordability, de Blasio also called for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to be abolished and replaced with a new agency.
"We need a secure border, but we should abolish ICE because it's a broken agency and start over with a different kind of agency that can secure our border without creating so much violence in our cities," he said.
He also called for a "path to legalization" for illegal immigrants who have not committed violent or serious crimes.