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Michael Bloomberg's campaign dropped an internal poll ahead of the tenth Democratic debate in South Carolina Tuesday that claims Senator Bernie Sanders securing the party's 2020 nomination would "jeopardize" the re-election of 42 Democratic lawmakers in swing districts.
Kevin Sheekey, Bloomberg's campaign manager, said their poll, which surveyed voters from 42 battleground districts, found that Trump's favorability was higher than Sanders, with the president on 47 percent positive and the senator on 38 percent. The campaign also asserted that negative sentiments towards Trump were also lower than that for Sanders, with the president on 49 percent negative and the senator on 53 percent.
"Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders and his socialist ideas will have a negative impact on the Democratic incumbents running in these competitive districts. Sanders is less popular than Trump, loses significant support when attacked for his socialist positions, and will negatively impact these vulnerable Democrats if he heads the top of the Democratic ticket," Global Strategy Group pollsters Jeff Pollak and Julie Hootkin said in a memo to Bloomberg's team.
Nearly half of respondents—47 percent—said "the increased role of socialist ideas in the Democratic Party" will have a negative impact, while 19 percent disagreed, saying it would have a positive impact.
In addition, 39 percent of voters surveyed said they would be less inclined to vote for a House Democrat if Sanders becomes the party's nominee, while 34 percent said the senator's nomination would not change their minds and 21 percent said a Sanders' nomination would increase their likelihood of voting for Democrats.
Newsweek reached out to Sanders' campaign for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication.
Two Florida voters this week filed a lawsuit seeking to disqualify Sanders from the state's primary because the Vermont politician runs as an independent in the Senate. Registered Tallahassee Democrats Frank Bach and George Brown filed the suit against the senator, as well as the Florida Democratic Party, the Democratic National Committee and Florida's Secretary of State Laurel Lee. In their legal argument, the Democrats say that the state's legal system doesn't provide for an independent candidate to run as a Democrat.
"Defendant Sanders is clearly an independent and is clearly not a Democrat, by his own definition," their suit states. "His current 'day job' is as a United States senator and he has consistently, proudly asserted his service in that role as independent."
In response, the Florida Democratic Party called the lawsuit "ridiculous" and asserts that parties are allowed to choose their ballot under the state's legal system.
"The Florida Democratic Party Executive Committee voted unanimously to place Senator Sanders on the Florida ballot," Juan Peñalosa, executive director of the Florida Democratic Party told the Tallahassee Democrat. "Votes cast for the Senator are valid and must be counted."
