Rep. Jim Clyburn Compares Sanders to George McGovern: He Could ‘Cause Down-Ballot Chaos’

Democratic Congressman Jim Clyburn has sounded the alarm about a potential victory for Senator Bernie Sanders in the presidential primaries. The South Carolina representative has endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden and warned of the effect on other candidates during on appearance on CNN’s New Day.

“I talk to members on both sides of our political equation, some people who are very progressive, some people who are relatively moderate,” Clyburn said.

“I talked to the faith community down there and they were very, very concerned about whether or not we will have somebody on the ticket that will cause down-ballot carnage. That’s our biggest problem for my members, we want to see somebody on the ticket that will allow us to expand our numbers, not having to run some kind of a rear guard campaign to avoid from being tarnished with a label.”

JUST NOW: "Very, very concerned about whether or not you'd like somebody on the ticket that would cause down ballot carnage. "

@WhipClyburn heightens rhetoric on risks of @BernieSanders as nominee. Compares him to McGovern in '72.

@NewDaypic.twitter.com/hjRn5uEBFc

— John Berman (@JohnBerman) February 28, 2020

Clyburn went on to compare Sanders to 1972 Democratic presidential candidate George McGovern, a liberal who lost in a landslide to Richard Nixon.

“I remember the crowds that George McGovern brought in, I remember all of the excitement,” he said. “George McGovern left there, 3 o’clock in the morning, everybody yelling about what a great victory this was. He carried one state. One state.”

Watch the first part of his remarks above, via CNN/Twitter.