Verdict with Ted Cruz
Verdict with Ted Cruz

Communist Takeover of the Democrat party—What it Means for America

August 5, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

The Communist Takeover of the Democratic Party

On election night, Senator Ted Cruz and co-host Ben Ferguson sat watching primary results roll in from Michigan, where Abdul El-Sayed—a candidate Cruz describes as a "full-blown socialist" and "huge anti-Semite"—was leading incumbent Democrat Haley Stevens in a Senate primary. The race was too close to call, but Cruz argued the trend was unmistakable: the Democratic Party is being consumed by its far-left wing. "I don't use that phrase as exaggeration," Cruz said. "It's not hyperbole."

The pattern across the country

Cruz pointed to a series of primary results that he believes demonstrate a coordinated takeover. In New York, three incumbent Democrats lost primaries to candidates backed by the Democratic Socialists of America. In Colorado, another self-described socialist won. In Wisconsin, Francesca Hong—who previously posted that Americans "should cancel Thanksgiving"—is the likely Democratic nominee for governor in a purple state Donald Trump carried in 2024. And in Michigan, El-Sayed was leading despite calling for abolishing the Senate he was running for.

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (02:07) **Opening: The Communist Takeover of the Democratic Party** - Ted Cruz and Ben Ferguson frame the night’s central thesis: the Communist Party is taking over the Democratic Party.
  • 2 (08:16) **The Pattern of Communist Victories in Primaries** - Cruz details a nationwide pattern of open communists defeating establishment Democrats in primaries.
  • 3 (11:35) **The Dog That Didn't Bark: Democrats' Terrified Silence** - Cruz contrasts the silence of nearly all Senate Democrats with John Fetterman, the only one opposing the takeover.
  • 4 (13:26) **What the DSA Wants: Abolishing the Constitution** - Cruz breaks down the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) platform, which El-Sayed and others support.
  • 5 (15:51) **The Hypocrisy of NYC's Communist Grocery Stores** - Cruz and Ferguson mock New York City’s plan for government-run grocery stores, which require an ID to shop.
  • 6 (21:19) **The Soviet Model vs. Free Enterprise** - Cruz recalls Boris Yeltsin’s amazement at a Texas grocery store, contrasting it with the Soviet model of scarcity.
  • 7 (25:36) **Van Jones: The Democratic Party is Blockbuster, These Kids are Netflix** - Cruz plays a clip of Van Jones analyzing the primary results as a revolution.

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Guests on this episode

Ted Cruz Ben Ferguson

Show Notes

A Michigan Democratic Senate primary becomes the starting point for a broader conversation about the ideological direction of the Democratic Party and whether activist movements on the left are reshaping its future. In the aftermath of primary results, Ted Cruz and Ben Ferguson examine what they see as growing influence from democratic socialist and progressive candidates in key races around the country. The discussion expands beyond Michigan to races in New York, Colorado, and Wisconsin, where the hosts argue that emerging political figures and grassroots movements are challenging traditional Democratic Party leadership. They also debate how social media, younger voters, and changing political coalitions are affecting both major parties.

In this episode of Verdict with Ted Cruz, Senator Ted Cruz and Ben Ferguson discuss the Michigan Senate primary featuring Abdul El-Sayed and Haley Stevens, analyze the rise of democratic socialist candidates in several states, react to comments from Van Jones about political change inside the Democratic Party, examine proposals for publicly supported grocery stores in New York City, and debate what these developments could mean for future elections and the broader American political landscape. 

Topics Covered:

  • Michigan Democratic Senate primary and the contest between Abdul El-Sayed and Haley Stevens
  • Democratic Socialist movement and its growing influence in Democratic politics
  • New York City grocery store proposals and debates over government involvement in markets
  • Van Jones’ comments on generational and organizational change inside the Democratic Party
  • Wisconsin governor’s race and controversy surrounding Francesca Hong’s past remarks
  • The hosts’ concerns about the future ideological direction of both major political parties Verdict with Ted Cruz

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