Lindsey Graham Confident a Sanders Nomination Will Result in a Republican House

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) at the CPAC convention in National Harbor, Md., on Feb. 28, 2019. Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is confident that Republicans would win back the House of Representatives if Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) becomes the 2020 Democratic nominee.

“Let me tell you, a Sanders candidacy is great news for President Trump,” Graham, speaking from South Carolina, told Fox News Thursday night. “It is great news for Republicans in the House and in the Senate.”

According to a recent Gallup poll, 76 percent of Democrats polled said they would vote in a socialist for president.

Former Vice President Joe Biden said he thinks he would be better as the 2020 nominee because he can help down-ballot Democrats to win. “The next president has to be able to win back the Democratic Senate,” said Biden at South Carolina Town Hall on Thursday, adding, “It’s a criticism of whether or not you think you’re going to be able to help elect a Democratic senator here, against Lindsey Graham.”

Graham said that the results of the primary elections definitely indicate Sanders will get the nominee but Biden’s nomination would have helped down-ballot candidates get elected. “I think he would probably help the down ballot Democrats more than most people running.

“We have a Democrat representing the first congressional district in South Carolina, Joe Cunningham. Bernie Sanders is his worst nightmare,” continued Graham.

Cunningham told The Post and Courier earlier this month that his constituents don’t want socialism. “We want to know how you are going to get things done and how you are going to pay for them. Bernie’s proposals to raise taxes on almost everyone is not something the Lowcountry wants and not something I'd ever support.”

First-term Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota also weighed in on a Sanders nomination, telling CNN’s Manu Raju, “There are probably 25-30 seats that absolutely would be impacted directly by having a self-avowed socialist at the top of the ticket. And I say that ... you know ... he’s not a Democrat, you know, and that’s something that I wish was better understood.”

“Looks like Bernie’s going to win the nomination unless something dramatically changes,” Graham continued, “but, if you’re a down-ballot Democrat in the Midwest, in the South, Bernie Sanders is your worst nightmare. I think we take the House back with Bernie for sure.”

Former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg said at the Democratic debate on Feb. 25, “We got a House to worry about. We got a Senate to worry about. If you want to keep the House in Democratic hands, you might want to check with the people who actually turned the House blue—40 Democrats who are not running on your platform. They are running away from your platform as fast as they possibly can.”

There are now 23 Republican members of Congress in the House who have announced they will be leaving at the end of their term.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Thursday that she will support Sanders if he wins the Democratic presidential nomination.

A Monmouth poll that came out Thursday showed Sanders at 31 percent, with Biden trailing at 18 percent. According to the new data, Sanders is the Democratic front runner, leading his Democratic opponents in online attention.

“This is Bernie’s race to lose right now,” said Graham.