'Socialist' label hasn't slowed Bernie Sanders, but his march gives some Texas Democrats heartburn

[TexasTowelie]

HOUSTON – Sen. Bernie Sanders’ decisive win in Nevada on Saturday, and his surprising ability to expand beyond a base of idealistic youth for whom “socialist” isn’t a disqualifying epithet, is forcing Democrats to ponder an uncertain future.

The longer Sanders lasts as the front-runner, the harder it gets for other Democrats to shake off the label. As the Vermont senator packs arenas, courting “brothers and sisters” in the political revolution and cementing his front-runner status nationally and in Texas, traditional Texas Democrats watch with growing alarm.

Putting a democratic socialist at the top of the ticket, they say, will hamper efforts to nab control of the Legislature and build on dramatic gains made last year, when Democrats nearly ended a 25-year GOP monopoly on statewide offices.

“It’s pretty clear that a more center-left nominee would be an easier haul for Texas Democrats than a far left nominee,” said Harold Cook, an Austin-based Democratic strategist. “That is the Republican play, led by Trump. They’re going to try to paint every Democrat everywhere as a socialist. And that’s 100% thanks to Bernie Sanders that Democrats are going to have to fight that off.”

Read more: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2020/02/23/socialist-label-hasnt-slowed-bernie-sanders-but-his-march-gives-some-texas-democrats-heartburn/

[TCJ70]

1. Republicans have been labeling Dems socialists as far back as...

...FDR. That isn’t Bernie’s doing, it’s their MO at this point.

“That is the Republican play, led by Trump. They’re going to try to paint every Democrat everywhere as a socialist. And that’s 100% thanks to Bernie Sanders that Democrats are going to have to fight that off.”

No. Can’t really pin that on Sanders.

[handmade34]

3. since Bernie has called himself a socialist...

probably can take a glance at him

[MisterFred]

5. Obama (and presumably his running mate) was a socialist in 2008, according to R's. nt

[handmade34]

6. not the point

yes we know lots of things are said in campaigns... Obama never said he was a Socialist... Bernie has actually called himself a Socialist (and to be fair, I have often referred to myself as a Socialist or syndicalist, but I'm not running for President)

the Republicans have LOTS of money and have been carefully training their 'people' to hate socialism and now they have a very real Socialist to run against

just a day or two ago, I saw a clip of Newt Gingrich claiming that Socialism is the Democratic Party now with Bernie at the head and ads are starting to flood media calling their Democratic opponents Socialists like Bernie

[MisterFred]

16. Everything you say is true, but

I'm not convinced that Republican voters in the past haven't actually believed that the Dem candidates were socialists.

Basically, what you are saying is that in the past Republicans kept calling Dems socialists but no one really believed them - now they will be believed, and it'll hurt.

What I am saying is that in the past Republicans kept calling Dems socialists and right-leaning Americans believed them - so if Republicans are believed again, it won't make any difference.

[TCJ70]

9. Yeah. I know. Has nothing to do with my post. N/t

[sheshe2]

7. Bernie Sanders "I am a socialist."

[TCJ70]

8. Yeah. I know. Has nothing to do with my post. N/t

[Cha]

11. Yes it does.. BS calls himself "a socialist".. that's the

huge difference.

[TCJ70]

12. My post is about how you can't blame Bernie for Republicans...

...labeling Democrats socialists. They have a long history of doing that starting before Bernie was even born. You responded with a video of Bernie calling himself a socialist. It isn’t a response to anything I wrote. I didn’t say there wasn’t a difference or that Sanders didn’t label himself that.

[Cha]

14. Not blaming BS for repubs.. but the label

will stick more with him than other Dems because he's called himself that on video

[dalton99a]

2. A socialist revolution is about as popular as Satanic worship in most of Texas

[redstateblues]

4. The reason the moniker "Socialist" sticks to Bernie is because he is one

It has never stuck to Obama because he is not one.

[RandiFan1290]

10. Awww, bless their hearts

[Cha]

13. It's vital to our Democracy that we win down ticket

Democratic races, too.

[Blue_Tires]

15. Folks are in for a rude-assed awakening...

if they honestly believe "socialism" is going to fly in the south, a place that already views Hillary Clinton as Castro...