No Stranger to Party Establishment's Tactics, Sanders Calls DCCC Attacks on Progressives "Appalling"

Sen. Bernie Sanders on the stage with DNC chairman Tom Perez during a Democratic Party "unity tour" last year. (Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

No Stranger to Party Establishment's Tactics, Sanders Calls DCCC Attacks on Progressives "Appalling"

'What these organizations should not be doing is doing negative attacks on Democratic candidates,' says former presidential candidate

Having tasted what it feels like to have the Establishment-wing of the Democratic Party put its thumb on the scale when he ran for president in 2016, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is telling the congressional campaign arm of the party to stop working against progressive candidates in contested primary races this election season.

Speaking with the Associated Press, Sanders said that it's "appalling" and "not acceptable" for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), whose mission is to help candidates win in local districts nationwide, to be choosing favorites--as evidence shows it has-- in Texas, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere.

"What these organizations should not be doing is doing negative attacks on Democratic candidates," Sanders told AP. "That just continues the process of debasing the Democratic system in this country and is why so many people are disgusted with politics."

Join Us: News for people demanding a better world


Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place.

We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference.

Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. Join with us today!

Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.