Bernie Sanders might be the most left-leaning candidate in the presidential race, but, according to the socialist senator, he's attracting some fans from the right. In an interview on MSNBC's Morning Joe Thursday, the Vermont senator addressed his "crossover" with GOP voters.
"There are more than a few Republicans for Bernie Sanders out there," he said. "Don't be surprised if we do well with a number of Republicans."
Article continues belowThe Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"But you know, Republicans have to send their kids to college," Sanders said, referring to his proposal to offer free tuition at colleges and universities. "Working-class Republicans can't afford to do that. Working-class Republicans have seen their factories shut down and moved to China. Working-class Republicans are equally disgusted about a campaign-finance system which allows billionaires now to buy elections."
Strange as Sanders' claim may seem, he has attracted the Republican vote before. The Washington Post reports that in his 2012 Senate race for reelection in Vermont, Sanders beat his Republican opponent with 71 percent of the vote.