GOP senator on Democratic candidates: ‘The lesser of two socialists is still a socialist’

GOP Sen. John Kennedy (La.) on Wednesday blasted Democrats who appeared in the party’s presidential debate the previous night, declaring “the lesser of two socialists is still a socialist.”

{mosads}”I’m not buying the storyline of progressive versus moderate,” Kennedy said during an interview on Fox News, weighing the dynamics of the Tuesday night debate in Detroit.

“I would remind you that the lesser of two socialists is still a socialist,” he continued. “Even from the less liberal candidates, I heard a job-killing, soul-crushing socialist agenda.”

The remark drew attention on social media, with President Trump sharing the comments in a tweet.

“The lesser of two Socialists is still a Socialist!” Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 31, 2019

Former Wisconsin GOP Gov. Scott Walker on Wednesday similarly called the candidates socialists in a tweet that showed Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), a self-described democratic socialist, along with former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, a more moderate Democratic candidate.

The feeling Americans would get if any of these socialists got elected & raised our taxes through the roof to pay for a massive takeover of our lives by the broken federal government. pic.twitter.com/I5lG6Joo2t

— Scott Walker (@ScottWalker) July 31, 2019

Democratic presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg has pushed back on the label in recent weeks, something he continued to do during the debate Tuesday night.

Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Ind., warned that Republicans would likely call Democrats “socialists” regardless of what they propose on issues such as health care, arguing that Democrats should instead advocate “the right policy.”

“It is time to stop worrying about what the Republicans will say,” Buttigieg said. “It’s true that if we embrace a far-left agenda, they’re gonna say we’re a bunch of crazy socialists. If we embrace a conservative agenda, you know what they’re gonna do? … They’re gonna say we’re a bunch of crazy socialists. So let’s just stand up for the right policy, go out there and defend it.”

Kennedy pushed back on the Democratic candidates Wednesday, asserting on Fox News that the country would soon have to choose between “more freedom or more free stuff.”

“At the rate my Democratic friends are going, the American people are going to have a very stark choice beyond this election,” he said. “It’s going to be growth versus redistribution. It’s going to do you believe in more freedom or more free stuff.”

Sanders, Buttigieg and Hickenlooper joined seven other candidates on the debate stage Tuesday, with another 10 slated to appear for another debate Wednesday night.

Tuesday’s debate featured Sanders and fellow progressive Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) repeatedly clashing with more moderate candidates over issues such as health care.