Fox News host Jesse Watters and his colleagues on The Five offered their personal opinions on the physical attractiveness of potential 2028 Democratic candidates in response to an article in The Bulwark that suggested the party needs a conventionally attractive candidate to win.
During Monday evening’s episode of the roundtable talk show, Watters praised Democrats for wanting a “hot” candidate but said former Vice President Kamala Harris, the 2024 Democratic nominee, was “not hot.”
“I have to disagree with Dana, I didn’t think Kamala was hot,” Watters said in response to his co-host, Dana Perino, who rebuffed the idea that all the Democratic Party needs is an attractive candidate, citing Harris.
“She was ok. But I mean if we’re talking hot, she’s not hot,” Watters added.
Co-host Greg Gutfeld then pitched New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, but Watters responded: “I’m not going there.”
The commentary was in response to Lauren Egan’s article for The Bulwark that suggested more Democratic voters want conventionally attractive candidates on the ballot. Egan wrote that the “hotness” of candidates had come up during conversations with Democratic strategists and former officials.
Democrats have been searching for ways to resonate more with potential voters than they did in 2024, when they lost the White House, the Senate and the House to Republicans.
But when thinking of potential Democratic candidates, the co-hosts of The Five weren’t impressed.
Gutfeld brushed off California Governor Gavin Newsom, largely considered a top contender for the Democratic nominee, who is also often praised for his looks.
“He’s like a six at best,” Gutfeld said.
Co-host Emily Compagno pointed out a recent Vox interview where Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, whom she referred to as “Peanut Butter Pritzker,” was asked whether he was losing weight because he was running for president.
“I like the fact that Democrats have gone from like ‘We need like a transgender, Native American, amputee’ to just ‘someone who’s hot.’ And I feel like that’s progress,” Watters said.
But other co-hosts disagreed with the notion that Democrats need, or can find, a physically attractive candidate
“Kamala Harris was an objectively beautiful person, and she couldn’t win,” Perino said. “So I don’t think that’s what it is.”
Gutfeld poked fun at Democrats’ “embracing biology” to find an attractive candidate, referencing liberal policies that embrace transgender people and advocate for their rights.
“You can find a hot candidate, but who’s going to buy it,” Gutfeld added.
Liberal co-host Jessica Tarlov pushed back on her colleagues for turning the topic into a wide discussion.
“It’s not that complicated, they’re talking like normal people,” she said exasperatedly. “[Senator] Jon Ossoff is really good at his job; he’s also attractive. Georgia Senate race – now Republicans have all but conceded that they’re not going to be able to flip that seat back because he’s that good.”
Tarlov went on to say Ocasio-Cortez, Harris and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer were all “very hot.”
