Stephen A. Smith Identifies Two Democrats He Thinks Can Best Lead Their Party

Stephen A. Smith said on Fox News Thursday that Democratic Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro are the two Democrats best positioned to lead their party.

In an appearance on “The Will Cain Show,” Smith pushed back against doubts about Moore’s national potential. He called the Maryland governor an ideal candidate for Democratic leadership. Smith also dismissed the idea that the party’s energy is best represented by candidates with hard-left positions, taking a direct shot at New York City mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani.

“I believe that Wes Moore would be an ideal candidate. I think you’re underestimating him, and, more importantly, I don’t think his interview with you should be a litmus test of who he is and what he represents, because I think you ask very direct questions, and he’s going to give you very direct answers. I think if you got to know him and you got to talk to him, you’d see him to be a reasonable individual that’s willing to cross the aisle to get things done,” Smith said. “I think Josh Shapiro, the governor of Pennsylvania, I think he’s another individual like that.”

Smith then shared his opinion about Mamdani.

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“I wish Andrew Cuomo was gaining more traction so he could prevent Mamdani from winning the mayor’s seat in New York City. I personally am not a fan of what Mamdani has been proposing. He’s a renowned socialist. He’s unapologetic about it. He’s not the candidate that I would want in New York City, and when I interview him I’ll tell him to his face,” Smith said. “It’s no problem for me, but because I’m not a socialist, I’m a capitalist, and I ain’t apologizing for it to anybody. This is America, and that’s what I believe.”

Despite Smith calling Moore an “ideal candidate,” Moore falsely claimed he received a Bronze Star and a made-up “Maryland College Football Hall of Fame Award” on his 2006 White House Fellowship application. He later admitted both entries were wrong, blamed the additions on his superiors, and said he regretted not correcting the record sooner—while accusing critics of exploiting the issue to attack his military record. (RELATED: ‘Why Did You Claim It For So Long Before You Got It’?’: Will Cain Presses Wes Moore About Military Decorations)

Moore also allowed multiple interviewers, including Gwen Ifill and Stephen Colbert, to introduce him as a Bronze Star recipient without offering any correction. Moore also faced backlash Monday after he was seen lounging on George Clooney’s yacht in Italy, according to the Daily Mail. Clooney has previously promoted Moore as a potential Democratic presidential candidate.

Shapiro, who is Jewish, drew criticism for backing Israel and faced backlash over how his office handled a 2024 sexual harassment complaint involving a former aide, according to CBS News. When asked in March on HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher” if he planned to run for president in 2028, Shapiro said he was “not an expert” on Washington, D.C. “stuff.”

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