Sanders faces questions about future
Sex allegations against ex-staffers deal setback
NEW YORK — Allies of Sen.
Bernie Sanders, I-VT., are rallying behind the embattled presidential prospect even as they begin to ponder the possibility of a 2020 campaign without him.
The 77-year-old self-described democratic socialist is the most prominent contender to face a serious setback in the evolving White House field. He’s been forced to confront reports detailing allegations of sexual harassment of women by male staffers when he sought the Democratic nomination for president in 2016.
No one has alleged that Sanders had direct knowledge of the incidents.
Sanders’ loyalists expect him to launch a second campaign in the coming weeks, and his network of supporters are hosting hundreds of events across the nation this weekend encouraging him to run.
But the allegations put Sanders in an unenviable position in the early days of a contest playing out in the #Metoo era.
While his competitors are visiting early-voting states and scoping out potential campaign headquarters, Sanders spent Thursday apologizing for the behavior of a handful of 2016 campaign staff members and looking for new workers should he run in 2020.
Some allies have had their confidence shaken in Sanders’ future, although he’s reshaped Democratic politics and almost single-handedly brought liberal priorities such as “Medicare for all” and free college education into the party’s mainstream.
“If he doesn’t run, there’s a massive void in this country,” said Roseann Demoro, an activist and former executive director of the National Nurses United union, who reaffirmed her support for Sanders. “The passion in that base goes away. That base evaporates. It doesn’t go to someone else. There would be a void so deep it would go to (President Donald) Trump, I suspect.”
Politico reported Wednesday that in July 2016, a former senior Sanders adviser forcibly kissed a young female staffer after making sexually explicit comments. Sanders’ team said the adviser, who denies the allegation, would not be involved in any second campaign. Former campaign manager Jeff Weaver, who was made aware of some incidents after the 2016 campaign ended, would not serve in that capacity again.
“Obviously, it’s impacted all of us quite a bit. It’s very upsetting,” said Heather Gautney, executive director of Our Revolution, the political arm of Sanders’ network.
Despite her concern, Gautney warned Democrats that a 2020 contest without Sanders would undermine plans to shake up health care, education, housing as well as other liberal priorities.
“Bernie is holding the flank on the left. If he doesn’t run for president, then the whole horizon shifts, and universal health care maybe gets taken off the table,” Gautney said.
“In my view, he is an absolutely necessary part of our political system.”