General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Bernie Sanders wants to steal the spotlight from Stacey Abrams tomorrow night... *EDITED* [View all]Progressive2020
(713 posts)Frankly that would really ruin things. Sanders ran in the Democratic Primaries, not as an Independent in the General Election (which he could have, if he had chosen to, give the level of support he has). If Sanders ran for President as an Independent, then the vote on the Left would be split between his supporters and whomever the Democratic nominee would be. That would REALLY re-elect Trump. I don't think Sanders would ever do that. It would be like when Ralph Nader ran as a spoiler in the 2000 Presidential Election, except on steroids, because Sanders has many more supporters.
I say let Sanders run in the Democratic Primaries in 2020 if he wants. It will have no net effect on the General Election, unless he wins the nomination. Strong Primaries strengthen whoever is nominated anyway, in my opinion. If you can't survive the Primaries in the first place, then you are a weak candidate to begin with. People who get upset over Bernie and his followers are too sensitive. They clutch their pearls and worry so much at every motion the man makes! This is politics, not softball. Relax about it. The Democratic Party is not weak and has nothing to fear from Sanders, unless Sanders chooses to run as an Independent and a Spoiler, which he never will. This is another tempest in a tea pot.
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