Why Sanders 2016 backers are no longer feeling the Bern


Democrats may not be ready to feel the Bern a second time.
Some backers of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)'s 2016 presidential bid, including lawmakers as well as former staffers and advisers, spoke with The New York Times on Thursday and said they won't necessarily support him if he runs again in 2020. This includes Sanders' former press secretary, Symone Sanders, who said "there are a lot of good candidates this time" and that she'll "wait and see" who she backs.
Two other 2016 campaign staffers told the Times they'll be supporting Rep. Beto O'Rourke (D-Texas) if he runs; both helped organize his 2018 Texas Senate race. Additionally, a consulting firm led by three key Sanders 2016 aides also hopes to work for O'Rourke in 2020. A few devoted Sanders backers, though, did tell the Times they're ready to support him again in 2020.
Subscribe to The 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 the Times spoke with plenty of others who were reluctant about Bernie 2020, including former Nevada state Assemblywoman Lucy Flores, who said it's "not a given" that she'll endorse him again. Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.), the first congressman to endorse Sanders in 2016, said that "one has to wait and see who’s got the best chance mathematically."
A common concern among the Democrats the Times spoke to was Sanders' age; the Vermont senator would be 79 by the time he took office, which would make him the oldest president in U.S. history. Others noted that Sanders no longer sticks out among Democrats as much when many of his policy proposals, such as single-payer health care, have been adopted by other candidates, including O'Rourke and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)
Progressive talk show host Bill Press, who thinks a Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) 2020 bid could be the way to go, observed, "What I hear from a lot of friends is that a younger Bernie is what we need."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
The 'secretive and strange' battle for the most powerful role in sport
Under The Radar Sebastian Coe among the contenders as the International Olympic Committee gathers to choose its next president
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Music reviews: Lady Gaga, Jason Isbell, and Astropical
Feature “Mayhem,” “Foxes in the Snow,” and “Astropical”
By The Week US Published
-
Art review: Christine Sun Kim: All Day All Night
Feature Whitney Museum of American Art, New York City, through July 6
By The Week US Published
-
Trump purports to 'void' Biden pardons
Speed Read Joe Biden's pardons of Jan. 6 committee members are not valid because they were done by autopen, says Trump
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
White House ignores judicial deportation blocks
Speed Read The Trump administration deports alleged Venezuelan gang members under a wartime law, defying a court order
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Schumer: Democrats will help pass spending bill
Speed Read The Democrats end the threat of government shutdown
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump pulls nomination of anti-vax CDC pick
Speed Read Former Florida congressmen Dr. Dave Weldon was nominated to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Judges tell Trump to rehire fired federal workers
Speed Read Trump and Elon Musk's DOGE team face a big setback in their efforts to shrink the federal workforce
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump trade war heats up as Canada, EU retaliate
Speed Read The president imposes 25% steel and aluminum tariffs in an effort to revive US manufacturing, though it may drive up prices for Americans instead
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump hawks Teslas, slashes more federal jobs
Speed Read The Education Department cut its workforce in half ahead of an expected Trump order to shutter the agency
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Ukraine agrees to ceasefire, ending US aid freeze
Speed Read Kyiv made peace with the Trump administration by agreeing to an immediate ceasefire in its war against Russian invaders
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published