Bernie Sanders Sidesteps on Support for 2024 Primary Challenge Against Biden or Harris

Appearing Friday on The Hill’s Rising, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) seemingly sidestepped the question of whether he would support a primary challenge against a President Joe Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.

A partial transcript is as follows: 

KRYSTAL BALL: If [Biden] falls short in terms of fighting for working-class citizens of this country, would you be able to support a primary challenge, either against him or Senator Kamala Harris in 2024?

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: Those are great questions. Let me start off by saying, that I don’t think the progressives within the Congress can do it alone. The first point that has to be made, if you want a progressive agenda to come out of the United States Congress, we’re going to have to rally the American people by the tens of millions to demand that we have a government that represents all of us and not just wealthy campaign contributors. We’re going to have to correct and deal with a very corrupt election system, where massive voter suppression that exists every single day right now. Second of all, what we are going to do is lay out 100 day agenda, which speaks to begin the need to begin the process of moving toward Medicare for All.

[…]

Immediately, we’re going to raise that minimum wage to 15 bucks an hour. Equal pay for equal work. Immediately, a massive infrastructure program to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure and create millions of good-paying jobs. Immediately, making it easier for workers to join unions.

[…]

We’ve got to lay out an agenda that speaks to the struggles and the desperation of working-class Americans. Finally, tell the corporate elite they have had their day. And we are going to stand up and fight for policies that we desperately need. And to answer your question, am I prepared to support primary challenges all across this country, to those members of Congress, Democrats who are not prepared to move toward a progressive agenda? You’re damn right I am.

BALL: And so let me make sure I understand what you’re saying here, the Biden administration, they’ll have their 100-day plan, but there’s going to be a Bernie Sanders working class 100-day plan as well that you’re going to attempt to rally people behind?

SEN. SANDERS: You got it. That’s exactly what we’re going to do.