Rep. Rudy Yakym, R-Ind., used the nation's upcoming 250th birthday to deliver a message aimed at Democrats, telling Newsmax Friday that "it's okay to love America" despite political differences.

Appearing on Newsmax's "Wake Up America," Yakym said he believes patriotism should unite Americans and argued that Democrats should be more willing to celebrate the country's history and accomplishments.

"As we come into the 250th birthday of this country, I've been out there reminding people, particularly Democrats, that it's okay to love America," he said. "These stats are quite stunning."

Yakym's comments came after the show's hosts cited polling showing a wide gap between Republicans and Democrats in the share who say they are proud to be Americans.

Responding to those numbers, he argued that Democrats have embraced ideas that are at odds with America's free-market system.

"You now have 66% of Democrats who prefer socialism over capitalism. They prefer communism over capitalism. That's crazy," Yakym said. "What is it about America that they don't like?"

The Indiana Republican then pointed to pivotal moments in U.S. history that he said should inspire national pride.

"Do they not like the fact that George Washington crossed the Delaware on Christmas to go and defeat the largest army in the world at that time?” he asked. “Do they not like the boys who stormed the beaches of Normandy to liberate Europe? Do they not like the first responders who came in and ran into the Twin Towers on 9/11?"

Yakym also cited the raising of the American flag at Iwo Jima, the moon landing, and the abolition of slavery as examples of what he called the nation's enduring achievements.

"We've now just learned that they don't like the fact that we sometimes set our thermostats, like I do, at 68 degrees — it's got to be 78 degrees," he said, referring to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a self-declared democratic socialist, who told New Yorkers to conserve energy during the current heatwave by setting their thermostats to 78 degrees.

"What is it about this country that they don't love?" Yakym said.

The congressman then argued that Americans do not leave the United States in search of socialist or communist governments, saying the nation's capitalist system continues to attract people from around the world.

"Nobody leaves America and flees to communism. No one flees to socialism from America. That never happens," Yakym said. "We've got to restore patriotism in this country on both sides of the aisle."

While acknowledging that Republicans and Democrats will continue to disagree on policy, Yakym said patriotism should transcend partisan politics.

"Republicans have got to go out there and remind Democrats, 'Hey, guys, we may disagree with you on a lot of policy issues, but it's still okay to love America,'" he said.

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