Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) was the only person on the debate stage Wednesday night to suggest that the candidate who receives the most delegates during the primary process should go on to win the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, even if that same candidate doesn’t win a majority of delegates as required by DNC rules.
The rest of the group roiled progressives on social media, many of whom believe the Democratic National Committee is out to steal the nomination from Sanders, by suggesting that Democratic “superdelegates” should have the final say.
“There’s a very good chance none of you are going to have enough delegates at the Democratic National Convention to clinch this nomination,” debate moderator, NBC News’ Chuck Todd noted. “If that happens,” he went on, “I want all of your opinions on this, should the person with the most delegates at the end of this primary season be the nominee even if they are short of a majority?”
Every last one of the candidates on stage said they would throw the nomination to the convention delegates — a “brokered convention” scenario that could end up a nightmare for Democrats who would fracture their party at just the moment they most need to be united — except for the Vermont socialist.
“I think the will of the people should prevail. Yes, the person with the most votes should become the nominee,” Sanders said, tacitly admitting that he would be the Democratic candidate most likely affected by the decision to take the convention to a second — or even a third — vote.
“To win the party nomination, a candidate needs to secure a majority of pledged delegates: 1,991,” The Hill reports, explaining how a brokered convention might work (emphasis added). “But because of a new rule implemented by the Democratic National Committee, reaching that number could be challenging for White House hopefuls.”
“The [DNC’s] rule states that superdelegates — including Democratic leaders and lawmakers — could vote on the first ballot at the convention, helping to boost candidates who had a plurality of delegates. But because of the new rule, those delegates are not eligible to vote until the second round.”
Clinton locked up the 2016 nomination by courting superdelegates, giving her the votes to win on the first ballot at the DNC without ever having to step foot in a primary state, though she did, besting Sanders only narrowly in the early contests, but sailing to an easy victory on Super Tuesday. This year, with nearly a dozen candidates still in the race — and a party desperate to unseat the man likely to win its nomination — it’s unlikely anyone will drop out in the early months of primary season, leaving Democrats tangling with sub-majority delegate counts perhaps well into the summer.
The Democratic Socialists of America were, of course, incensed at the idea that no candidate but Bernie Sanders was willing to hand Sanders the nomination: “Out of all the candidates, Bernie is the only one to advocate for the democratic will of the people—he wants your vote to count more than a superdelegate’s,” its leader tweeted Tuesday night.
Controversial Sanders surrogate and ousted Women’s March leader Linda Sarsour was likewise angry.
“Bernie Sanders was the only candidate with the RIGHT ANSWER re: should the person with most delegates going in to the convention get the nomination,” Sarsour posted to social media. “YES, let the will of the people prevail.”