'Bernie definitely concerns me': Trump supporters take Sanders challenge seriously

31 Jan 2020, 15:27 by Joseph Simonson

DES MOINES, Iowa — Supporters of President Trump don't agree with Bernie Sanders on almost anything, or even like him much, but they see him as a tough general election foe.

Thousands came out to see the president on Thursday evening, just four days before the Democrats hold their caucuses, the party's first nominating contests of 2020. As they cheered on Trump at Drake University's arena and weathered below-freezing temperatures to watch Trump's remarks on a television outside, one lingering factor kept them unnerved: Sanders, the Vermont senator.

"Bernie definitely concerns me more than Biden, honestly," Mitchell Read, 21, a car salesman living in the Des Moines suburbs, said about Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden. "But I also think Bernie is gonna run out of steam in the primary. It's gonna be really close though."

Recent polling shows Sanders, 78, poised for a win on Feb. 3, which would significantly increase his chances of claiming the nomination. Internally, the Sanders campaign is confident of its chances.

Polls of states set to vote on Super Tuesday, March 3, also show Sanders significantly gaining on Biden, 77. Aside from maintaining a lead in the California primary, Sanders is beginning to catch up to Biden in Texas — a state where a significant win is crucial to the former Delaware senator's primary strategy.

Of the dozen individuals who spoke with the Washington Examiner, how much of a threat they think Sanders poses often depended on age. Younger voters, likely those who have friends who support Sanders, were much more bullish on his chances, often citing the allure of what the candidate calls free college.

"Definitely worried about Bernie. I just feel like he has a lot of good points during the primary. He has a lot to offer the younger demographic of the United States," said John Hills, 18, who was sporting a MAGA hat. "I just feel like Biden is for older people. If our president's old enough to be in a retirement home, he shouldn't be president, and I think a lot of people know that."

Others spoke about Biden's physical behavior, which came across to many as lecherous and unbecoming of a future commander in chief.

"You know, he's a grabber. He's a creep," said Jason Jaeger, 19 and a Walmart employee, who added that Trump faces an uphill battle no matter whom Democrats nominate.

Many middle-aged Trump supporters cited Sanders's socialist label as a reason why he'd ultimately lose in a general election, but a number of them still cited the unorthodox nature of his campaign as a reason why no one can be certain how a general election would turn out.

"I think Bernie's message is always something to worry about. You got a lot of people who think like that," said Linda Harris, 47, an assistant manager of a hotel. "I think a lot of smart people will see through it, but who knows how many smart people there are."

Although reports have surfaced that show Trump privately fretting about Sanders in 2016, his reelection campaign has attempted to boost the Vermont lawmaker's chances in the primary. At a rally this month in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Trump exclaimed, "Bernie is surging! Bernie is surging!"

Despite the rhetoric from Trump, a number of polls show Sanders as a potentially competitive opponent in a general election. A survey by ABC News/ Washington Post released Monday found Sanders beating Trump 49-47 in a theoretical match-up.

Sanders's campaign also regularly points to polling that shows its candidate defeating Trump in crucial swing states such as Wisconsin and Michigan.

Those who supported President Barack Obama in 2008 but now support Trump say they see a lot in common between his and Sanders's messages: Both are centered on the promise of transformational change.

"You know, Bernie had it last time around but got it taken," said John Ryan, 55, a union laborer, referring to the controversy over the Democratic National Committee's rules in the 2016 primary. "I hope and pray he doesn't get it again. You know, when Obama first ran, he was charismatic, you know, a good speaker. A guy could really believe in that. But it wasn't true. I hope and pray they don't try it again."

[ Opinion: Bernie Sanders isn't a joke. He's dangerous]