Sen. Bernie Sanders’ campaign is raising money off hating a familiar face in Democratic Party politics: Longtime Clinton confidante David Brock.
A Thursday morning fundraising email from the Vermont senator’s presidential campaign was another shot over the bow between the two warring camps, calling Brock a “former Republican-turned-Democrat attack dog who led one of the largest super PACs to attack us last race.”
Brock appeared on MSNBC’s “Hardball with Chris Matthews” Tuesday night to discuss Sanders’ record-breaking fundraising since he officially jumped into the race in February.
[Related: Bernie Sanders leaps into 2020 race with $6M raised in 24 hours]
“I would say — and for all I know, the Sanders people might take this as a compliment — among a lot of the major donors in the party, there’s concern that he could emerge,” Brock said.
“There are some very dyed-in-the-wool Democrats that wouldn’t at all be enthusiastic about supporting him in a general election.”
Jeff Weaver, a senior adviser to Sanders quickly dismissed Brock in comments to Politico.
“It is not a secret that people who would hang out with David Brock would be putting their class interests ahead of the party and the country,” he said. “We have got to nominate somebody who is going to energize and excite the grassroots, not a handful of billionaires.”
And now, Sanders is using the spat to raise even more money from his supporters.
“Send a message that outside attacks from big-monied interests will be met with an overwhelming response from those who have had ENOUGH of the influence people like David Brock have on our elections,” Sanders’ campaign told supporters Thursday.
Sanders currently leads or is tied with former Vice President Joe Biden in most national and early primary state polls.
[Also read: Bernie Sanders hires illegal immigrant to be press secretary]
