Transcript: Pennsylvania state Rep. Chris Rabb on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Aug. 16, 2026

Transcript: Pennsylvania state Rep. Chris Rabb on Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan, Aug. 16, 2026

ED O KEEFE welcomed Pennsylvania State Representative Chris Rabb onto Face the Nation, noting that he is the Democratic nominee in Pennsylvania's third district, which includes parts of Philadelphia. Rabb, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), explained that he wasn't running for socialism but for the people of the district who wanted a fighter. He emphasized that his focus was on issues that mattered to voters, not the labels attached to him in polls.

Rabb challenged the idea that Democrats and supporters of Democratic socialism were the same, stressing that his campaign was about fighting corruption, fighting for working people, and providing a living wage for all. He argued that historical and economic evidence showed that pure capitalism had never worked and that a mix of capitalist and socialist policies was necessary to create a nation that took care of everyone.

The congressman discussed the need to win over skeptics, particularly the two-thirds of the country who did not view socialism favorably. He suggested that providing more context and analysis of the terms used in the polls would help people make more informed decisions. Rabb emphasized that his victory in the Democratic primary was not due to his membership in the DSA but because he was a fighter who focused on addressing the concerns of voters.

Addressing former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's argument about flipping red districts to blue, Rabb disagreed with the strategy. He believed that concentrating on winning over Republican districts was not the way to address the existing issues. Instead, he called for bold measures that could benefit both blue and red districts. Rabb argued that his experience as someone with five generations in Kentucky demonstrated that the message could resonate across the country, transcending traditional political boundaries.