Sen. Bernie Sanders’ ascendancy as Democrats’ leading presidential hopeful fueled growing unease as lawmakers openly expressed anxiety that the self-proclaimed democratic socialist could cost them House control and questions abounded over what party leaders should do. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., projected calm — and neutrality — on Wednesday as she batted away reporters’ queries about whether it was time for her to try thwarting Sanders to protect her party’s majority. “We’re not going to lose the House,” she said. “We’re going to be united by whomever is the candidate for president. But we are taking responsibility for winning the House, and we’re not assuming anything. But we feel very confident.” She delivered a similar message to colleagues at a closed-door meeting Wednesday morning, when she told them, “We cannot show any division. This has to be about unity, unity, unity.” Her remarks were described by a Democratic aide on the condition of anonymity to relay private comments. Yet with Sanders, I-Vt., riding high after early nominating contest wins in New Hampshire and Nevada and a virtual first-place tie in Iowa, other House Democrats were less sanguine. Time was growing short to head Sanders off. South Carolina holds its primary Saturday, followed three days later by Super Tuesday, when contests in 14 states and one territory will decide one-third of the delegates to this summer’s Democratic convention. Rep. Tom Malinowski, a freshman from a closely divided New Jersey district, said Democrats have “a simple path” to defeating President Donald Trump by focusing on health care, the economy and a promise that their presidential candidate won’t lie. “I don’t want to squander that opportunity” by nominating a contender who divides Democrats, he said in an unspoken reference to Sanders. Freshman Rep. Elaine Luria, D-Va., who defeated an incumbent Republican in 2018 in a swing district in coastal Virginia, said a Sanders candidacy would be “incredibly divisive” and endanger more centrist lawmakers like herself. The former Navy commander said of GOP efforts to paint all Democrats as socialists, “Bernie Sanders just adds fuel to that fire.” Rep. Scott Peters, D-Calif., a leader of his party’s House moderates, said there is widespread concern among lawmakers from competitive districts “that a Sanders candidacy would sink their reelections.” Peters, whose San Diego district is safely Democratic, said Sanders would complicate moderates’ reelection bids because “the face of the Democratic Party might be spouting things that are absolutely anathema to your voters.” Sanders advocacy for “Medicare for All,” the Green New Deal and student loan forgiveness has alienated many moderates. Of the 42 House seats Democrats gained in 2018 when they captured the majority, 29 are from districts that Trump either won in 2016 or lost by a narrow 5 percentage points or less. Most of them are moderates. Republicans will need to gain 18 seats in November’s elections to win House control, assuming they retain three vacant seats held previously by the GOP. Asked what Pelosi was doing about Sanders, Peters said, “I hope that we do have a conversation as a party” about his impact on endangered Democrats. Hours after No. 3 House Democratic leader James Clyburn endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden for the Democratic nod, Clyburn declined to say Wednesday whether it was time for Pelosi to speak up. “I don’t tell […]

The post Sanders’ Rise Fuels Dems’ Angst Over Keeping House Control appeared first on The Yeshiva World.