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DNC feeling the Bern; Considers resolution urging Sanders, King to run as Dems – Metro US

DNC feeling the Bern; Considers resolution urging Sanders, King to run as Dems

DNC

After conspiring against Sen. Bernie Sanders in the 2016 presidential primary against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) is considering asking the senator from Vermont and another independent, Angus King from Maine, to run as Democrats in 2018.

California DNC member Bob Mulholland sponsored a resolution to call on Sanders and King as great contributors “to key Democratic causes,” The Hill reported, and the DNC will consider it this week.

“Therefore, be it resolved, that the DNC recognizes the important contributions of the independent Senators from Maine and Vermont to causes at the heart of the Democratic party’s mission and urge them to run as Democrats,” the draft of the resolution states, before calling on “candidates and voters who share common goals and beliefs with Democrats to register or affiliate with the Democratic party in 2017, 2018 and beyond.”

“A strong and unified Democratic party with strong candidates from diverse backgrounds puts us in the best position to win elections up and down the ticket in 2018 and beyond,” the draft continues.

Although Sanders has taken a leadership role in the party, he has said he does not identify as a Democrat and party affiliation is not important to frustrated voters.

Sanders has been focusing on smaller races instead of looking forward to the nationwide elections in 2018.

“I look at politics a little bit differently than some of my colleagues in the sense that I believe that we need to build a national grassroots movement,” Sanders told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday.

“So, I think my emphasis is going to be more on grassroots politics,” he added.

Sanders, 76, drew huge crowds and won 43 percent of Democratic primary voters with his calls to end the influence of big money in politics, create Medicare-for all healthcare and establish free tuition at public universities.

The DNC’s resolutions committee meets Friday in Las Vegas. If the resolution passes there, the full DNC would vote on it the following day.

Reuters contributed to this report.