Democrats’ fixation on opposing President Donald Trump is pushing them further away from the voters they once relied on, according to ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith. In an appearance on Fox News with Sean Hannity, Smith laid out how their refusal to engage in real policy debates is backfiring and making them less competitive in future elections.
During Trump’s recent address to Congress, Democrats refused to stand for key moments honoring a young cancer survivor and a fallen officer’s widow. Smith called their actions “pathetic,” saying it proved their priorities were misplaced. He also ridiculed a video of multiple Democratic lawmakers repeating the same scripted anti-Trump talking points, calling it a sign of weak leadership.
Smith warned that Democrats are failing to recognize that Trump’s economic policies, particularly tariffs, could work in his favor. If those policies succeed, he said, Democrats will have little to offer voters in response. “Lord help them if the tariffs situation works in Trump’s favor. They’re really not going to have a leg to stand on then,” he said.
His concerns extended to the party’s identity, arguing that Democrats have abandoned their working-class roots. Once considered the party for middle-class Americans, Smith said they have shifted focus elsewhere, leaving behind many of their traditional voters.
The numbers back up his concerns. A Quinnipiac University poll released in January showed Democrats’ approval rating at 31%, while their disapproval rating hit 57%. Meanwhile, Republicans enjoyed a 43% favorable rating, signaling a widening gap between the two parties.
Smith, who has been increasingly critical of the left, said the Democratic Party needs a major reset. “I’m ready to purge the damn party,” he said, arguing that if they continue on this path, they will only make Trump stronger.
