Sanders to run as a Democrat -- but not accept nomination (2018 Senate)

[Jim Lane]

212. It would only happen if he did that AND the party reacted with spite.

If he declines the Democratic nomination, then there will be two possible responses for progressives in Vermont.

1) The important thing is to have a progressive Senator. Let's support Bernie's independent run, as we did in 2006 and 2012. If he wins, as he did in those years, he'll caucus with the Democrats, as he did after those victories.

2) No, having a Senator who represents our views isn't all that important. What really really matters is not having a member of the Democratic caucus who's listed on the Senate website as an independent. Better someone like Joe Manchin, who votes to repeal Obama-era environmental protections and who votes to confirm people like Gina Haspel but who at least identifies as a Democrat. (Say, did you know Bernie isn't a Democrat?) Therefore, let's finagle a way to overrule the primary voters and put someone on the ballot even if that someone couldn't get enough votes to win the primary, and if our candidate splits the anti-Trump vote and lets some RWNJ become a Senator, well, at least we'll have cleared up that party identification matter, which, when you come right down to it, is more important than the global climate crisis or CIA torture or other such minor distractions.

With the decision being up to the Vermont Democratic Party, I have complete confidence that the first option will be chosen. Fortunately for progressives and for the country, the Vermont Democratic Party is not composed of a bunch of raging haters who are still refighting the 2016 primary.