Sanders pushes back against claims that he'll cost Democrats the House and Senate

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) pushed back Sunday against an argument from the rejuvenated former Vice President Joe Biden, who reiterated his belief that if Sanders wins the Democratic presidential nomination, it will have consequences for the Democratic Party in the long run.

Biden, who resoundingly won Saturday's South Carolina primary, looks like he's back in the thick of the Democratic race after floundering for several weeks. He told CNN's Jake Tapper on Sunday that while he doesn't have any intention of convincing any of the other remaining candidates to drop out of the race and consolidate behind him to defeat Sanders, he said he does think the Democratic House majority could be in jeopardy, and the Senate will be tougher to win back for Democrats, should Sanders ultimately lead the ticket against President Trump in November.

Sanders took some issue with that opinion, claiming he has good relationships with Democratic leaders like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). He said he'll be ready to support Biden should he win the nomination, and he expects Biden — whom he called a "decent guy" — to return the favor if the roles are reversed. In short, Sanders is making the case he has no issue with the Democratic Party at large, and instead simply wants to end its reliance on its corporate wing. Tim O'Donnell

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