Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. dropped out of the 2020 presidential race in April.
“I think you know the truth … the path toward victory is virtually impossible,” he said at the time.
Monday, he took things a step further.
Not only was a path to victory impossible in both 2016 and 2020 –– Sanders is acknowledging that there will never be a path to victory for him as president.
In a virtual interview with The Washington Post, Sanders said that it’s very unlikely that he’ll be running for president again.
“I think the likelihood is very, very slim at that,” Sanders added. “I think next time around you’re going to see another candidate carrying the progressive banner.”
His statement leaves the door open for other liberals in the progressive movement waiting in the wings to succeed rank and file Democrats.
It was no secret that Sanders had been the oldest candidate (78) running in the field of Democrats. Another four years waiting to run yet another vigorous candidacy is quite hard to imagine — particularly after a heart attack had sidelined the Democratic socialist in late 2019.
His progressive ideologies gained some traction during the primary race, but ultimately failed to materialize into sustained success at the polls.
He ended up splitting votes with Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., whose progressive ideologies made the two very similar candidates and therefore indistinguishable.
As a result, political experts have predicted that Warren’s refusal to exit the primaries undercut Sanders and handed the nomination to Joe Biden.
So as Sanders exits the presidential race for good, it seems he’s still holding onto grudges.
According to The Hill, Sanders isn’t endorsing Warren for the coveted Biden Vice President spot, even though her potential appointment could succeed in bringing progressive policies to the table –– the progressive policies that he has been crusading so long for.
It seems as though Sanders wants the microphone — and if he can’t have it, no one can.
The Horn editorial team