House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that the early voting states, where Sen. Bernie Sanders ties or leads Hillary Clinton, won’t necessarily be the ones that crown the Democratic primary winner.
“These races are long,” Pelosi said. “It’s not about who wins in the beginning, it’s about who wins toward the end. So I don’t get concerned when races tighten.”
Pelosi didn’t specifically proclaim support for either Clinton’s or Sanders’ campaigns. She even gave a shout-out to Gov. Martin O’Malley, who registers only low single digits in the polls.
But she recognized the growing enthusiasm for Sanders, who is closing in on Clinton nationally and leads in New Hampshire by about 6 points, according to a RealClearPolitics average. Sanders, a socialist, is tied with Clinton in Iowa.
“Whatever success Bernie Sanders has, I think it is important to recognize his supporters are essential to our success in winning the White House, retaining the White House, in November,” Pelosi said. “I’m excited about the support that he has. It says people are paying attention and are listening. Hillary Clinton has retained a very high level of support. Bernie Sanders has grown his.”
