McConnell warns Republicans speculation on Sanders as the nominee 'may be a bit foolish'
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday that Republican speculation about whether Sen. Bernie Sanders may be the easiest Democrat to beat “may be a bit foolish.”
“I’m reminded of when the Democrats back in 1980 were all pulling for Ronald Reagan to be the nominee because they thought he’d be the easiest to beat,” McConnell told reporters when asked whether Sanders as the Democratic nominee would make it easier for the GOP to keep control of the Senate. “I think it’s going to be a contested general election with a lot of energy on both sides, and for myself I’ll leave it up to the Democrats to pick who they’d like to be their candidate.”
Some Republicans are becoming giddy at the prospect of Sanders (I-Vt.) becoming the Democratic nominee for president after his wins in Nevada and New Hampshire. Senate Republicans — and moderate House Democrats — argue that Sanders’ status as a democratic socialist could hurt down-ballot races, especially in purple states. Already, Senate Republican incumbents are trying to tie their Democratic challengers to Sanders’ platform, including his signature “Medicare for All” bill.
But Sanders and his supporters argue that his movement will generate enthusiasm among voters and result in significant turnout. And many of Sanders’ colleagues in the Senate are not panicking over the Vermont independent becoming the nominee, noting his strong base of support and the influence his ideas have had on the party since he took on Hillary Clinton in 2016.
McConnell added Tuesday that he does not see much daylight between the Democratic presidential contenders, noting they are “very, very far to the left.”
“If you look at what the various candidates for president on the Democratic ticket are saying, not a whole lot of difference between any of them — they all look pretty much the same to me,” he said. “It looks like moderate Democrats are an endangered species or may have disappeared already.”
