Prospect of Sanders as presidential nominee divides Senate Democrats

[RandySF]

Senate Democrats, who have worked more closely with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) than anyone else the past 13 years, split into several factions when they consider the increasing likelihood of the self-proclaimed democratic socialist as their standard-bearer against President Trump.

Some question whether Sanders can appeal to key suburban swing voters critical to the party’s hopes of claiming GOP Senate seats in Colorado, Maine, Arizona and North Carolina with such a liberal agenda. “I think winning a primary election and winning a general election are two different things,” said Sen. Michael F. Bennet (D-Colo.), a failed 2020 presidential contender himself.

Others say the key is forging unity once the presidential primary contest is settled, bringing together all sides to help Democratic chances up and down the ballot. “I’m not in the freakout caucus. I think the main thing is that we need to come together and support the eventual nominee, whoever that nominee is,” said Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, who has previously chaired House and Senate campaign committees.

Still others just avoid the topic. “I’m supporting whoever the Democratic candidate for president is,” said Sen. Gary Peters (Mich.), one of the few Democrats running a tough reelection campaign this year.

Sanders arrived in the Senate in 2007 after 16 years in the House, an iconoclast with big ideas and not a lot of legislative gravitas. He was neither loathed nor loved.

Then, in April 2015, Sanders went to the northeast corner of the Capitol lawn, and with no supporters around and just a few staff members, announced his long-shot bid for the Democratic presidential nomination against Hillary Clinton.

Five years later, Sanders, who is not even a registered Democrat, is easily the most well-known member of the Senate caucus, pledging a “revolution” that has vaulted him to the top of the 2020 field and left his colleagues wondering what comes next.



https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/elections-2020/prospect-of-sanders-as-presidential-nominee-divides-senate-democrats/ar-BB10qN2G?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=mailsignout

[question everything]

1. His "revolution" will include tearing the party apart

[Cha]

2. KR!

[Progressive2020]

4. If He Is So Divisive

If Sanders is so divisive, how has he won the first three contests in the Democratic Primaries? (given that Mayor Pete managed a small victory in Iowa, where Sanders still won the most votes)? Who is Sanders dividing? Maybe more traditional Dems, granted. But he has a lot of followers who have voted for Bernie, who mobilized for him. These people are not divided amongst themselves, I think.

Anyway, I personally will support whoever gets the nomination. I still think that Biden has a real chance. My instinct is that Joe will win in South Carolina, and then the main battle will be between him and Sanders in the Super Tuesday states. We will see what happens.

It might turn into a battle between Joe and Bernie, and I am fine with either of them as the candidate. The one I do not like is Bloomberg, who is a Conservative Billionaire trying to buy the election. We do not need Republican Light. And I think that Bloomberg is more of a threat to Biden than anyone else. Bloomberg might siphon off some potential Biden voters and thus hand some wins to Bernie. If I were one of Biden's people, I would advise training some fire on Bloomberg. Bloomberg is trying to buy votes, maybe at Joe's expense. So, no to Bloomberg for me.