Senator Bernie Sanders is proud of his status as an Independent Senator

[MineralMan]

from Vermont. He has won several elections there, running as an Independent candidate. That's his choice, and the voters in Vermont seem to like him, since they keep re-electing him. I cannot and would not fault him for his choice of party label. It is his decision, after all, and he runs for office in Vermont, a state where I do not live. He has been successful as an Independent, and usually votes with the Democratic Caucus in the Senate. Not always, but usually.

In 2016 and now in 2020, he ran and is running as a Democrat for the Democratic Party's nomination for President. After failing to win the party's nomination in 2016, he immediately reverted back to his Independent status. I expect that he will do the same in 2020 if he is not successful in winning the Democratic Party nomination.

Why should he change his long-standing status?

However, that temporary change of parties is troublesome for many long-term Democrats. It is troublesome for me. In every presidential election since 1968, I have cast my vote for the Democratic Party nominee for President. I am a Democrat. That is what I do, even when it is clear that the Democratic nominee will not win. My loyalty to the party is based on the historical fact that the people in this country do better when a Democrat is in the White House, and better yet when a Democratic President has a Democratic Congress. So, I always vote for the Democrats on my ballot for every partisan office.

Bernie Sanders has declared himself to be a Democrat for the purpose of running in the 2020 primary elections. He could not run for that nomination without that declaration. Is that a permanent change? Will he serve as a Democrat during his term in office, should he win the nomination and the general election? I don't know. I don't think anyone has asked him that question, to tell the truth.

He is a Democrat now because he could not seek the nomination without declaring himself to be a Democrat. But, is he a Democrat in his heart? That I do not know. Since he always reverts back to his Independent status when not running for President, I have some doubts about that.

I will vote for Senator Bernie Sanders if he becomes the nominee, of course, because he will be the Democratic nominee and because I always vote for Democrats. To do otherwise would be impossible for me. But, that does not mean that I hope he'll become our nominee for that office. I do not. I want a solid, long-time Democrat to be the nominee.

I'm not alone, either. Many Democrats I know feel the same way, and will vote for a demonstrated Democrat on their primary ballot. That's what I'll be doing, too.