MANCHESTER, N.H. — Sen. Bernard Sanders of Vermont said Monday that, unlike some of his 2020 Democratic presidential rivals, he’s not taking checks from wealthy high-flyers.
“Unlike some of my opponents, I don’t have contributions from the CEOs of the pharmaceutical industry, from Wall Street tycoons,” he said. “We don’t want their money. We don’t need their money.”
Mr. Sanders was helping kick off the final frenetic day of campaigning ahead of the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday at a breakfast event for supporters at Ultimate Sports Academy in Manchester.
“What happens here in New Hampshire is enormously important,” he said.
He has recently knocked former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, who is running in second place behind Mr. Sanders in public polling on New Hampshire, for the number of billionaires contributing to Mr. Buttigieg’s campaign.
When Mr. Buttigieg spoke at a New Hampshire Democrats dinner over the weekend, he was greeted with jeers and chants of “Wall Street Pete” from Mr. Sanders’ section of supporters at the event.
In Iowa, the Vermont senator placed second to Mr. Buttigieg in terms of pledged delegates to the Democratic National Convention, according to the state Democratic Party, though Mr. Sanders’ team now says they plan to push for a partial recanvass.
Mr. Sanders’ turnout strategy relies on driving a number of new voters who aren’t necessarily active in politics to the polls, while building on his base of support from his last White House run. He easily won New Hampshire over Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic presidential primary contest.
Mike Zlotowicz, a 38-year-old boat captain from Manchester in attendance Monday, predicted that Mr. Sanders will reshape the Democratic party much like President Trump did with the Republican party in 2016.
“A dark horse, non-party member won their base, won their nomination, and they fell in line and he changed the party,” Mr. Zlotowicz said.
“And I think that Democrats will be in an identical situation in 2020 with a sane, non-criminal candidate but still someone who is not traditionally a member of their party, a fundraiser for their party, a contributor to their party that they really don’t want to win the nomination,” he said.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.