Sanders Won’t Say He’s In A Two-Man Race Against Biden After Ex-VP’s SC Win

Democratic White House hopeful Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders speaks during a campaign rally at the Virginia Wesleyan University Convocation Hall on February 29, 2020 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. - Former vice presid... Democratic White House hopeful Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders speaks during a campaign rally at the Virginia Wesleyan University Convocation Hall on February 29, 2020 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. - Former vice president Joe Biden won the South Carolina primary on Saturday, reviving his flagging campaign and positioning himself as the leading rival to frontrunner Bernie Sanders in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. (Photo by Eric BARADAT / AFP) (Photo by ERIC BARADAT/AFP via Getty Images) MORE LESS
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Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) isn’t quick to say whether he’s solely focusing on defeating former Vice President Joe Biden in the Democratic presidential primary just two days before Super Tuesday.

Asked by CBS’ Margaret Brennan if he’s now in a “two-man race” with Biden following the former VP’s win in the South Carolina primary, Sanders pointed out how he won the popular vote in the Iowa caucuses, the New Hampshire primary and the Nevada caucus.

Sanders added that he’s “looking forward to Super Tuesday.”

“I think we’ve got a great chance to win in California, in Texas, in Massachusetts and a number of states around the country,” Sanders said.

Brennan then pointed out that South Carolina is the first southern state in the Democratic primary, before asking if his loss in the state’s primary indicates anything about his prospects in places like Virginia and North Carolina and whether Biden will pose a challenge.

“Well, we’re going to see,” Sanders said. “I mean, I think based on the polling, we’re doing pretty well in Virginia. I think we’ve got a shot in North Carolina.”

Citing how Sanders’ campaign raised $46 million last month, Brennan asked what edge that gives him heading into Super Tuesday. Sanders replied that “it is not only the amount of money that we raised,” but “it’s how we raised it” before proceeding to slam Biden.

“We don’t have a super PAC like Joe Biden. I don’t go to rich people’s homes like Joe Biden. I think Joe has contributions for more than $40 billionaires,” Sanders said. “What we have done is received more campaign contributions from more Americans than any candidate in the history of the United States, averaging 18 dollars and 50 cents. This is a campaign of working people and by working people.”

Sanders added that he’s “extraordinarily proud of that” and that his campaign has “enough money now” for Super Tuesday and the rest of the Democratic primary.

Watch Sanders’ remarks on CBS News below:

Sanders also confirmed on ABC News Sunday morning that he was referring to Biden when criticizing “old-fashioned politics,” telling George Stephanopolous: “I could be. Yes, I am.”

When asked about why he’s having trouble with African-American voters following his loss in the South Carolina primary, Sanders pushed back by insisting that he won the young African-American vote and he is winning in terms of polling.

“We’re actually ahead of Biden in terms of the African-American vote,” Sanders said, prompting Stephanopolous to point out that Biden got more than 60 percent of the African-American vote in the South Carolina primary.

Sanders then said that although Biden did “very well last night,” he doubled down on how he won among younger African-American voters.

Watch Sanders’ remarks on ABC News below:

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Notable Replies

  1. His Election Fraction is not where he had hoped. At least all of us can see THIS number

  2. Citing how Sanders’ campaign raised $46 million last month, Brennan asked what edge that gives him heading into Super Tuesday. Sanders replied that “it is not only the amount of money that we raised,” but “it’s how we raised it” before proceeding to slam Biden.

    “We don’t have a super PAC like Joe Biden. I don’t go to rich people’s homes like Joe Biden. I think Joe has contributions for more than [forty] billionaires,” Sanders said. “What we have done is received more campaign contributions from more Americans than any candidate in the history of the United States, averaging 18 dollars and 50 cents. This is a campaign of working people and by working people.”

    Not everyone cares, of course.

  3. OK, Bernie.

  4. Uh yeah, because Super Tuesday is coming up and Biden’s camp is showing the same type of complacent arrogance that the other camps did after their own wins/overperformances.

  5. 40 billionaires, huh.

    A couple of weeks ago he was using the same attack line on Buttigieg.

    They’re limited to the same contribution limits as anyone else.

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