House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) confirmed on Wednesday that she would be comfortable with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) at the top of the Democratic ticket.
As she was leaving a meeting with House Democrats on Wednesday morning, Pelosi said simply “yes” when a reporter asked if she was comfortable with a Sanders nomination.
Pelosi also said that she doesn’t have concerns that the Democrats might lose the majority if Sanders is on the top of the ticket.
See her comments below:
Q: Will you be OK if @BernieSanders is the nominee?@SpeakerPelosi: Yes.
— Alex Moe (@alexmoeflo) February 26, 2020
Q: Do you have any concerns that you could lose the majority?@SpeakerPelosi: No. pic.twitter.com/Ag740ZlvJS
Sanders seems poised to claim the nomination after notching victories in New Hampshire and Nevada. He faces a challenge in South Carolina where the polling shows former Vice President Joe Biden with a lead.
The 78-year-old Vermont lawmaker, who is an independent but usually votes with Democrats, seemed to attack the powerful figures in the party last week in a tweet, saying, “I’ve got news for the Republican establishment. I’ve got news for the Democratic establishment. They can’t stop us.”
I've got news for the Republican establishment. I've got news for the Democratic establishment. They can't stop us.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) February 22, 2020
The conventional wisdom in Washington seems to be that Democrats will lose seats in the House if Sanders is at the top of the ticket. Some vulnerable lawmakers have even voiced their disapproval — Congressman Joe Cunningham (D-S.C.) recently told his local paper “South Carolinians don’t want socialism. We want to know how you are going to get things done and how you are going to pay for them. Bernie’s proposals to raise taxes on almost everyone is not something the Lowcountry wants and not something I’d ever support.”
There will be a better idea about the state of the race after March 3, when 15 states — nearly one-third of Democratic voters — will cast their vote for the presidency. If Sanders pulls off a huge victory on Super Tuesday, it could make it much more difficult for his opponents.