CNN contributor Scott Jennings at the Democratic National Convention in August of 2024

Republican candidates in every major marquee election on Tuesday night lost by substantial margins. One MAGA-aligned pundit tried to spin the result as bad for Democrats, but one of his fellow panelists quickly countered him.

During a CNN election night panel, conservative commentator Scott Jennings — who once spoke alongside Trump at an April rally — downplayed Democratic wins in the New Jersey and Virginia gubernatorial elections. Even though moderate Democrats Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill posted double-digit margins of victory over Republicans Winsome Earle-Sears and Jack Ciattarelli, he argued that New Jersey and Virginia are blue states and that a Republican victory in either race was always a long shot.

Jennings also seized on Democrat Zohran Mamdani's decisive win in the New York City mayoral race as an opportunity for Republicans. He then offered his sarcastic "condolences" for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), predicting that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) would unseat him in 2028.

"I see the energy in the Democratic Party tonight behind a socialist, and I see the energy in Virginia Democrats looking the other way on a violent candidate for attorney general who says he wants to murder Republicans and their children," Jennings said. "If you think you're getting rid of Graham Platner in Maine now, think again. This is a terrible night for [the] national Democratic image, given what is happening inside their party."

"Mamdani is an avowed socialist," he continued. "It's not what people say that he is, it's what he says that he is. He's now the leader of their party—"

"He's the leader of the Democratic Party?" CNN host Anderson Cooper asked incredulously.

"Well, who is the leader?" Jennings said. "Can someone tell me?"

"He's a life raft for Republicans who have to go on TV and got their a—— kicked," Democratic strategist David Axelrod interjected, as panelists laughed.

"You own this now! You own this!" Jennings continued, as Cooper talked over him to give another election night update.

Watch the segment below:

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