Politics

Democrats Turn On Bernie: ‘He Is Not Going To Be The Nominee’

(Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

Daily Caller News Foundation logo
Paul Ingrassia Contributor
Font Size:

Florida Democrats are calling on Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders to backtrack his comments after refusing to acknowledge opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s legitimate president.

“There are serious questions about the recent election. There are many people who feel it was a fraudulent election,” Sanders, a 2020 Democratic presidential contender, said Tuesday in an interview with Univision.

Many Florida Democrats were outraged by this response, Politico reported Thursday. 

Democratic Florida Rep. Donna Shalala, who represents Venezuelan exiles, told Politico: “He is not going to be the nominee of the Democratic Party. He has demonstrated again that he does not understand this situation.” (RELATED: Sen. Bernie Sanders Refuses To Call For Maduro To Step Down)

This isn’t the first time Sanders has backed left-wing or socialist leaders.

He called Nicaragua’s leftist leader, Daniel Ortega, “an impressive guy,” in a 1985 interview. Sanders has also repeatedly praised Fidel Castro, the late Cuban communist dictator.

Venezuela's National Assembly head and self-proclaimed 'acting president' Juan Guaido, speaks during a session at the National Assembly in Caracas on January 29, 2019.

Venezuela’s National Assembly head and self-proclaimed “acting President” Juan Guaido speaks during a session at the National Assembly in Caracas on Jan. 29, 2019.  (Photo by Yuri CORTEZ/AFP/Getty Images)

Sanders’ response puts him at odds with President Donald Trump, as well as a growing share of the international community, who recognizes Guaido as Venezuela’s president and has not ruled out military intervention in the country.

It also alienates Sanders among 2020 Democratic presidential candidates who have commented on the issue. This list includes Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who each recently denounced Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and backed Guaido.

Florida, which houses more Venezuelan immigrants than any other state, is a perennial swing-state. Shalala is joined by many state Democratic leaders, like Miami state Sen. Annette Taddeo and others, who fear a candidate’s stance on this issue could persuade enough Venezuelans to jump ship and support Trump.

The divide among Democratic presidential candidates signals the broader internal civil war between progressives and moderates over the party’s identity.

The final result may prove pivotal in deciding the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.

Follow Paul Ingrassia on Twitter

All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.