Sen. Bernard Sanders says he isn’t concerned that he and Sen. Elizabeth Warren could end up splitting the vote among liberals and pave the way for a more moderate candidate like former Vice President Joseph R. Biden to have an easier path to the Democratic presidential nomination.
“Nope,” the Vermont senator told Yahoo News in an interview published on Monday. “I think there is a political process, and people will make their own choices. But I’m feeling pretty good about the future.”
Mr. Sanders and Ms. Warren have had something of an informal cease-fire thus far in the race and have generally refrained from attacking one another, even as they seemingly compete for a similar bloc of Democratic primary voters at the far left of the ideological spectrum.
“If you look at the issues that folks are talking about today — not only candidates but people all over this country — that has a lot to do with my willingness four years ago to stand up to the political establishment, the economic establishment, the media establishment, and say, ’You know what? Maybe we need policies and a government that represents all of us and not just wealthy campaign contributors,’ ” Mr. Sanders said, referring to his 2016 campaign for the Democratic nomination.
He downplayed the notion that he might have helped pave the way for Ms. Warren’s candidacy.
“All I can say is that for the last many decades, going back to when I was elected mayor of Burlington, my record has been standing up for working families, taking on powerful special interests and, in fact, achieving some real results,” he said.
Recent polling has shown Mr. Biden, Ms. Warren and Mr. Sanders clearly emerging as the top three contenders for the Democratic nomination.
The three front-runners will all share the debate stage for the first time this cycle later this week in Houston, site of the third Democratic presidential debate.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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