Democrats are expressing concern about the possibility of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) winning the nomination.
Over the last two weeks, Sanders’ momentum has accelerated so much that some lawmakers fear it may already be too late to stop the Democratic frontrunner.
The DNC realizing Sen. Bernie Sanders is the party frontrunner and pushing closer and closer toward winning the nomination. pic.twitter.com/889yNtkIdj
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) February 23, 2020
According to CNN, not only are Democratic lawmakers concerned about the presidential nomination but also the domino effects could have on the down-ballot races. Elected officials facing re-election could be fighting an uphill battle if Sanders’ snags the Democratic presidential nomination.
“It’s not just that he’d lose the presidency, it’s that he’d put our candidates at risk,” said Rep. Scott Peters (D-Calif.).
Rep. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) also echoed similar sentiments admitting “there’s no question” Sanders will “create a real challenge for down-ballot candidates.”
Another growing concern Democrats have is the cost breakdown of Sanders’ proposed plans — or the lack thereof. Sanders recently sparked another debate and fueled more concerns when he admitted he didn’t exactly have a ballpark figure for the costs of his proposed plans.
Concerns among moderate Democrats about Bernie Sanders’s electability grew yesterday when he admitted that he had no idea how much his proposals would cost, even as he added universal childcare to his range of policies. https://t.co/T2PoMrI5oE
— Jon Cooper (@joncoopertweets) February 25, 2020
Former Virginia governor and DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe also expressed concerns about Sanders urging the Democrats to “unify fast as we can”
“You see this tremendous angst in the party — ‘What are we going to do?’” said McAuliffe to the The Associated Press. “We need to unify as fast as we can.”
As previously reported on IJR, Anderson Cooper pressed Sanders for definitive answers in regard to his proposed budget for his new programs.
“How much will that cost?” @andersoncooper asks Bernie Sanders how he’ll pay for the ambitious new government programs he’s proposed. https://t.co/JavrRt2h9k pic.twitter.com/tLLgYCMZsQ
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) February 24, 2020
The latest news follows a string of reports detailing what Sanders’ big win in Nevada means for the Democratic race.
Previous reports suggested that a Nevada victory could likely set the tone for the duration of his campaign. The Nevada Independent’s Jon Ralston recently expressed the level of concern Democratic lawmakers are facing amid that win for Sanders.
“You can sense the panic in the Democratic establishment that Bernie Sanders is building momentum towards the nomination,” Ralston told MSNBC.
With a big win in Nevada along with the lead he currently holds in the national polls, Sanders shows no signs of slowing down.