As Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., readies his second presidential campaign in as many cycles, a group of voters is warning him against moving forward with a bid: his own supporters.
Liberal voters from Iowa and elsewhere, all of whom voted for Sanders in 2016, believe the Vermont senator should stand down over concerns about his electability at the national level. With some feeling that his time has past, they want Sanders to pass the torch to a new generation of liberal leaders, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and other Democrats who are likely to run in 2020.
“Oh, I love Bernie,” said Pam Cates, 60, a substitute teacher from Missouri Valley. “I’d probably have to go with Elizabeth. I really would … She’s my gal.”
“For most people and electability, Bernie is too far,” she said. “Elizabeth is relatable. She’s so down to earth. I get a … truth about her, I guess, of any candidates that you could.”
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The comment came as Warren was kicking off her inaugural swing through the state last weekend after announcing an exploratory committee toward a 2020 campaign. She made five stops as part of her tour across the Hawkeye State.
Scott Punteney, chairman of the Pottawattamie County Democrats, attended the Warren event in Council Bluffs. He was a Sanders supporter in 2016, but he came away impressed by the Massachusetts Democrat. “I loved her. I really liked her. I liked what she had to say. I thought the event was great that we had in Council Bluffs. I’m very impressed with her,” he said.
Punteney said he has not committed to any candidate for 2020, noting how it’s “way too early,” but he did express some hesitation about Sanders in a second bid.
“He’s older, obviously,” Punteney said, noting that Sanders is five years older than Trump at 77. By comparison, Warren is 69. “It’s not crazy to think he would run again. I really have no position on it one way or another. If he does decide, we’ll see what happens,” Punteney added.
According to a CNN poll of the Iowa caucuses released in mid-December, Sanders sits in second place with 19 percent support behind former Vice President Joe Biden’s 32 percent. Former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke pulled in 11 percent, while Warren sat fourth with 8 percent.
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Kim Laursen, 64, of Omaha, said that while she remains a big fan of the Vermont senator, Sanders had his chance in 2016 and it’s time to move on.
“I think it’s past his time,” Laursen said. “I really like him, but I just don’t think he can win. I really like him, I really do like him.”
In recent weeks, Sanders has come under fire after staffers on his 2016 campaign alleged that they were sexual harassed. Sanders has said he was unaware of the allegations during the 2016 campaign and in offering an apology said he will take steps to remedy the situation if he runs again in 2020.
“I am not going to sit here and tell you that we did everything right in terms of human resources, in terms of addressing the needs that I’m hearing from now, that women felt they were disrespected, that there was sexual harassment which was not dealt with as effectively as possible,” Sanders told CNN.
“Of course, if I run, we will do better next time,” he added.
As the CNN poll showed, Sanders still remains a top choice in Iowa as he holds a groundswell of support. However the emergence of possibly dozens of candidates vying for the Democratic nomination has thrown things in flux. Sanders has not appeared in Iowa since before the 2018 midterm elections when he made stops to campaign for progressive candidates in down-ballot contests.
Nevertheless, the shine from his 2016 campaign has worn off to some. Kate Kennedy, 72, a retired registered nurse from Council Bluffs, a self-described progressive who volunteered for Sanders in the 2016 primary, said she would be more likely to support either Warren or O’Rourke this time around, with Warren being the favorite.
“I think her … I think she has more energy at this point,” she said when asked who she’d support between Sanders and Warren, adding that she thinks it’s her time. “Elizabeth Warren or Beto, that’s where I would put my energy,” Kennedy said.
Sanders is expected to announce his 2020 plans in the coming weeks or months.
