Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-VT) son, a Democrat running for a House seat in New Hampshire, said on Thursday that he will not support House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) for Speaker if he makes it to Congress in the fall.
Levi Sanders told CBSN on Thursday that he would instead back Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), who is running for Caucus Chair.
“I think Nancy has done a really good job, but at this point in time we need new, fresh leadership, and I would support Barbara Lee,” Sanders said.
Sanders is running to win his party’s nomination in New Hampshire’s September 11 primary to replace retiring Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH) in the state’s first congressional district. Shea-Porter has endorsed Naomi Andrews, her former chief of staff and campaign manager.
Though more than 50 Democrats running for Congress have said they will not support Pelosi if they make it to Congress, Sanders’s response about who he would choose instead of Pelosi revealed that there still is no consensus alternative to Pelosi, who still raises boatloads of money for Democrats and is known for her masterful vote counting.
Democrats are running away from Pelosi, and Republicans are trying to tie Democrats to the former Speaker in key swing districts because Pelosi still remains unpopular.
A recent nationwide poll found that 73% of Americans and 49% of Democrats want someone other than Pelosi to be the party’s Speaker if Democrats take back the House in the fall.