Politico: Republicans pray for Bernie as Democratic nominee (Republicans including Joni Ernst)

[highplainsdem]

This is from last May, but there's no reason to believe this has changed -- especially given what Hugh Hewitt said last week about intending to vote for Sanders in the Democratic primary, before voting for Trump in the GE

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/05/07/bernie-sanders-republican-senate-1307296

Some GOP incumbents are practically cheering him on, confident there’s no way a self-described democratic socialist could win a general election against President Donald Trump and that he’d drag other Democrats on the ballot with him.

“It would be good for us to have a nominee like that,” said Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), who is up for reelection next year and sounded downright giddy about the prospect of Sanders representing Democrats at the top of the ticket.

-snip-

“A lot of people think that in that crowded field, he could break out,” said Senate Majority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.).

He added: “If we can run a race against a person that’s an out-of-the-closet socialist and promoting socialist ideas, it’s a great contrast for us.”

-snip-

I want to post this because of what it says about Joni Ernst wanting Sanders to be the nominee, thinking that would be best for Republicans.

As I've posted elsewhere today, I just found out that although the Iowa caucuses are technically closed, with only voters who are registered Democrats able to participate, anyone can register at the caucus, or change their party registration that evening to vote in that caucus.

I would love to know what Ernst's people have been telling Republican voters in Iowa about the Democratic caucus.

[TwilightZone]

1. I think he would be their preference, but I also think there's a secondary motive.

I think they're hoping to foment the same kind of resentment that led some to stay home or vote third-party in 2016. Their framing is done intentionally to instigate - Trump recently saying that the primary was being "rigged" against Sanders, etc.

[highplainsdem]

2. Rick Scott has become one of the Republicans peddling the conspiracy theory that Nancy Pelosi

delayed sending the articles of impeachment to the Senate to help Biden and hurt Sanders and Warren:

https://www.foxnews.com/media/rick-scott-pelosi-biden-impeachment

And in case anyone thinks Scott is some kind of Sanders supporter, he said last year that Sanders supporters should move to Venezuela:

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/17/gop-sen-rick-scott-if-you-like-bernie-sanders-move-to-venezuela.html

[DanTex]

3. Boy, we're really digging now, aren't we. Politico article from before the primaries started!

Some alarm bell is going off somewhere.

[highplainsdem]

6. Yeah, I dug so hard I went all the way to page 2 (!!!!) of the Google results when I searched for

republicans vote sanders primary

I think it might have taken more than ten seconds, but probably not more than fifteen.

Really exhaustive, and exhausting, search. However do I do it????

[DanTex]

7. You're doing God's work, figuring out what some Republican said last May! Keep it up!

[Cha]

23. And, i found this on the 2nd page to get up front and

center.. all the signs are there.

[TwilightZone]

11. It's pretty obvious that it's happening.

Considering that multiple members of the GOP are saying the same things in the same manner, it's clearly a strategy with two motivations:

1) They would clearly prefer Sanders to be the nominee.

2) Trump is trying to push Sanders' supporters' buttons with the nonsense about the primaries being "rigged".

Personally, I don't think we should choose our nominee based on anything the right-wing says, but the fact that they clearly have a strategy and a candidate preference is obvious.

[David__77]

4. I don't necessarily have confidence in their analytical abilities.

...

[highplainsdem]

8. Whose? Politico's, or the politicians quoted? And whether or not you have any

confidence in their analytical abilities, Ernst certainly has enough connections in Iowa to urge Republicans to re-register as Dems for a few hours to caucus for Sanders, if she thinks that will help the GOP.

[David__77]

9. Ernst, for one.

...

[highplainsdem]

12. Well, she might be wrong that Trump could beat Sanders. If Sanders is our nominee, I'll be voting

for him and I hope all Dems and Dem-leaning independents and NeverTrump Republicans will, too,

But even if she's wrong about that, this article shows she'd like to have Sanders be the nominee.

She's sent that message to her supporters in Iowa. She has a really high approval rating in Iowa.

So this probably increases the chances of Republicans who support Trump re-registering as Dems to caucus for Sanders.

[David__77]

16. Could be so.

...

[Evergreen Emerald]

5. It is obvious. Trump wants him to be the nominee so badly.

The Republicans have so much attack fodder they are preparing if he wins. They speak positively on Sanders while they attack every other nominee. This speaks volumes.

Trump defends Sanders, stoking Democratic divisions
https://apnews.com/68f73dde8435dada40ecce80beac6324

As the Democratic primary intensifies before the first contests to decide the nominee, Trump and his allies have issued a series of curiously favorable comments about Sanders. They’ve played up the Vermont senator’s electoral strength and fundraising prowess. And they’ve suggested that if Sanders doesn’t secure the nomination, it will be because the party rigged the primary against him. It’s a sentiment that resonates with some Sanders’ backers who believe the Democratic National Committee worked against him in 2016, when Hillary Clinton won the nomination.

[NCProgressive]

10. Bernie is being used by the republicans

and the Russians (according to Mueller) because he is a divisive candidate who damages any viable nominee while going down complaining about the establishment.

[NCProgressive]

18. No ... Bernie has to EARN the votes of Biden supporters

It is only fair

[shotten99]

14. Many Democrats said the same thing about Reagan in 1980.

[beachbumbob]

15. heard from my friends in Iowa, organized effort by republican voters to crossover to

vote for Sanders in the upcoming Iowa caucuses. Suspect the same in all the "small" primary states to happen.

[highplainsdem]

17. It's an unfortunately easy way to meddle in our primary, given the attention Iowa gets and

how unrepresentative of the Democratic Party the caucuses can be when so few participate.

[Downtown Hound]

19. I used to pray for Trump to be the nominee

because I thought he would never win. Republicans may come to have similar regrets.

[highplainsdem]

20. I hope they will, if Sanders is the nominee. But since I believe Biden has the best chance of

beating Trump, I hope Sanders won't be. I also hope Sanders won't be our nominee because I'd like to see some real progress made, even if it isn't YUUUUUGE change, and I think Biden has the best chance of achieving that.

But I'll VOTE BLUE NO MATTER WHO, and every Democrat and non-MAGAt should.

[Downtown Hound]

22. I'm sticking with Biden

But Sanders will have my complete support is he's the nominee. And I don't think Sanders will be anywhere near the pushover the Republicans think he will be if he wins. He's very popular with young people and will get them out to vote. And if they show up in huge numbers, it's over for Trump.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

21. Yup, that tells you that the Rethugz, notorious LIARS, really want to face Joe, NOT Bernie!!

I LOVE IT... GO BERNIE!!


Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join the revolution!!