Fox News host Jesse Watters said Wednesday that he believes the Democratic Party is heading toward an internal struggle between its establishment leadership and its growing socialist wing, arguing that the outcome of the 2026 midterm elections could determine the party’s direction ahead of the next presidential race, as reported [1] by PJ Media.
Watters made the remarks during an appearance on The Five while discussing the Democratic Party’s political future. During the segment, co-host Emily Compagno asked whether the country was “actually being taken over.”
“Maybe. We’ll see how it goes,” Watters replied.
Watters said he believes Democratic leaders are allowing the party’s socialist faction greater influence as they wait to see how candidates aligned with that wing perform in the upcoming midterm elections.
According to Watters, if those candidates perform poorly, establishment Democrats could hold them responsible for the election results, leading to significant divisions within the party.
If they perform well, he suggested the two factions could continue working together.
He said the Democratic Party is going to “accommodate the commies and see how they do in the midterms.”
Watters added that if the socialist wing performs well, “it’s going to be Kumbaya,” while suggesting that any broader internal disagreements would simply be postponed.
The discussion also turned to former Vice President Kamala Harris and California Gov. Gavin Newsom as potential contenders for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Watters referenced commentary that Harris has been seeking support from the party’s progressive and socialist activists as Democrats prepare for the next presidential primary following the midterm elections.
“So it’s her or Newsom,” Watters said.
He argued that any Democrat seeking the party’s presidential nomination would need backing from the socialist faction while also maintaining support from the party establishment.
Watters described that alliance as “a powerful movement.”
The Fox News host also criticized what he characterized as the backgrounds of several candidates associated with the party’s progressive movement.
“They’re professional students,” he said. “They’re all in debt. They don’t earn anything. A lot of them don’t even own anything.”
Watters argued that some candidates attribute their financial situations to broader problems with the American system.
“It’s actually not rigged if you work,” he said.
He contrasted his own experiences early in his career with what he described as those of younger candidates who have concluded that the American Dream is no longer attainable.
“They haven’t even tried,” he said. “What are they talking about?”
During the segment, Watters mentioned several Democratic figures, including Texas state Rep. James Talarico, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner of Maine, and socialist candidates in Colorado and New York.
Referring to that group collectively, Watters called them “all pathetic people.”
He also argued that their political appeal comes from connecting with voters who share similar economic frustrations.
“If no one else has worked hard, you can point to someone and say, ‘Oh, he gets me,'” Watters said.
Watters also offered his own view on addressing affordability concerns that have become a focus of some political campaigns.
“You get a job, you get married, you start earning a living, and then you have skin in the game,” he said.
The comments came during a broader discussion on The Five about the direction of the Democratic Party and how its various ideological factions may influence future elections.
Watters said he believes the relationship between the party’s establishment leadership and its socialist wing will become increasingly important as Democrats prepare for the 2026 midterm elections and the presidential primary campaign that follows.