Why many Sanders supporters will once again be voting for Trump this election

[MrFliop]

I know, you’re thinking how could any person could support Trump and Sanders indifferently?

Well I know a lot of Sanders supporters both in person and on the internet who were also secret Trump voters. I too supported Sanders in the 2016 primary but voted for Trump in the general election. I won’t do it again this year and I’ll give the reason why shortly, but.......

Not all Bernie voters are Democratic Socialists. Many simply wanted him because he represents change. And, like it or not, Donald Trump represents change, whether in a good way or bad. And as long as the narrative is played that the establishment is doing everything it can to stop “outsider” president Trump then there will inevitably be a (much larger than you can imagine) portion of Bernie voters who secretly support him, even if they don’t talk about it in person.

Also another reason is their belief in accelerationism. Sanders’ supporters are less interested in his socialist policies than they are of a political revolution that his presidency could bring about. Their thinking goes that if he cannot get elected the next best thing to bring about “the revolution” is to have someone unbelievably awful like Trump in office for 8 years.

There was even a small faction of Sanders supporters in 2016 (including me) who believed that a Clinton loss could give Bernie a second chance in 2020. Well, that didn’t go according to plan did it? Still I’ve seen some fools on social media after Bernie dropped out this Spring urging fellow supporters to deny Biden victory in November to give Sanders yet another shot in 2024. Nope! Not doing that! I’m done with this!

That is the sad reality! Bernie’s supporters are so eager for change that some will do everything possible to re-elect Trump this year, and there is NOTHING that their fellow liberals can say or do to change their minds.

 

[Venom]

I'm not sure what these cynics/idealists expect out of their government at all at this point.

They aren't playing their cards anymore; they're constantly folding until they get their One Perfect Candidate, and I fear they won't budge even if we are 30 years into the worst of global warming and on the brink of dictatorship.

 

[Safe-Keeper]

I'm not sure what these cynics/idealists expect out of their government at all at this point.

They aren't playing their cards anymore; they're constantly folding until they get their One Perfect Candidate, and I fear they won't budge even if we are 30 years into the worst of global warming and on the brink of dictatorship.

The US is already on the treshold of dictatorship. It might even be near an irreversible tipping point, like we are with the climate crisis. As are several countries in Europe, at least one of which seems to have tipped already . I genuenly believe that if Trump wins in November, it's over and out for the American republic as we know it, along with minority rights, access to abortion, open borders, and relations with the free world.

 

[Giordano]

The polls I’ve seen indicate that over 80% of Sanders supporters say they will vote, if without enthusiasm, for Biden. e.g.:
https://www.suffolk.edu/news-featur...percent-of-sanders-backers-wont-support-biden

I don’t think they will be a significant source of Trump support this time (4% of those polled).

But if one suggests they are lying to the pollsters? But of course this also allows the possibility that they are lying to the OP and they are strong Biden supporters...

 

[Stacyhs]

I know, you’re thinking how could any person could support Trump and Sanders indifferently?

Well I know a lot of Sanders supporters both in person and on the internet who were also secret Trump voters. I too supported Sanders in the 2016 primary but voted for Trump in the general election. I won’t do it again this year and I’ll give the reason why shortly, but.......

Not all Bernie voters are Democratic Socialists. Many simply wanted him because he represents change. And, like it or not, Donald Trump represents change, whether in a good way or bad. And as long as the narrative is played that the establishment is doing everything it can to stop “outsider” president Trump then there will inevitably be a (much larger than you can imagine) portion of Bernie voters who secretly support him, even if they don’t talk about it in person.

Also another reason is their belief in accelerationism. Sanders’ supporters are less interested in his socialist policies than they are of a political revolution that his presidency could bring about. Their thinking goes that if he cannot get elected the next best thing to bring about “the revolution” is to have someone unbelievably awful like Trump in office for 8 years.

There was even a small faction of Sanders supporters in 2016 (including me) who believed that a Clinton loss could give Bernie a second chance in 2020. Well, that didn’t go according to plan did it? Still I’ve seen some fools on social media after Bernie dropped out this Spring urging fellow supporters to deny Biden victory in November to give Sanders yet another shot in 2024. Nope! Not doing that! I’m done with this!

That is the sad reality! Bernie’s supporters are so eager for change that some will do everything possible to re-elect Trump this year, and there is NOTHING that their fellow liberals can say or do to change their minds.

The kind of extremism you describe among some Bernie supporters is a sad reality. The irony is that their extremism and right wing extremism are just two sides of the coin.

 

[acbytesla]

This thread is BS. Most likely posted by a Trump supporter or some Russian company.

There may be one in a thousand Sanders supporters who will vote for Trump.....if that.

Trump has proven himself not only tobe the Billionaire's boy handing tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans, doling out favors like it's Christmas to his friends and tearing apart and lining his pocket. Calling Trump corrupt is a massive understatement.

He opposed making Healthcare affordable for all. All he ever did was try and destroy it. Anyone who says they are or were Sanders supporters and says they are voting for Trump are almost certainly liars.

Then there is the simple fact that Trump is totally incompetent and not up to the job. His failures on the International stage are only overshadowed by his domestic failures.

Putin's Bitch is responsible for a 100,000 deaths and that figure will likely double January. COVID alone is enough to kick his ass to the curb. Finally how he has dealt with the systemic racism and racial divides is nothing short of criminal

Sanders supporters voting for Trump the Orange Turd? That's a good one.

 

[PhantomWolf]

This thread is BS. Most likely posted by a Trump supporter or some Russian company.

There may be one in a thousand Sanders supporters who will vote for Trump.....if that.

You clearly missed the post above you that showed a Suffolk University poll that showed it is actually about 1 in 25!

 

[Roger Ramjets]

Forget about them. It's the 40% who normally don't vote at all that will be the decider.

 

[Sideroxylon]

Cool story, bro.

 

[acbytesla]

You clearly missed the post above you that showed a Suffolk University poll that showed it is actually about 1 in 25!

Still 1 in 25 is insignificant. That's like a quarter point when you add in the rest of the electorate. Right now, Trump is down by 5 in Texas!

 

[MrFliop]

The polls I’ve seen indicate that over 80% of Sanders supporters say they will vote, if without enthusiasm, for Biden. e.g.:
https://www.suffolk.edu/news-featur...percent-of-sanders-backers-wont-support-biden

I don’t think they will be a significant source of Trump support this time (4% of those polled).

But if one suggests they are lying to the pollsters? But of course this also allows the possibility that they are lying to the OP and they are strong Biden supporters...

Other polls also say Trump would get about 15% from Sanders supporters. Roughly the same share he got in 2016.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...orters-vote-trump-over-biden-poll/2936124001/

Also even if the Sanders supporters who don’t support Biden vote mostly third party instead of Trump, it would still help him.

 

[MrFliop]

Also, a 20% abstain vote from Sanders supporters could be harmful to Biden in key battle ground states.

Let me give some examples:

Traditionally incumbents receive less votes during primaries compared to competative primaries.

Yet even though Biden was unopposed by this time he got LESS votes than Trump in the Ohio primary with Sanders receiving 16% despite the fact that he dropped out 3 weeks earlier.

OH Dem Primary
Biden: 647,284
Sanders: 149,683
Others: 97,416
Total: 894,383

OH GOP Primary (Trump was unopposed on ballot)
Trump: 682,845

Then in the Pennsylvania primary, almost 2 months after Sanders withdrawal, Biden got slightly more votes than Trump with Sanders getting about 18%.

PA Dem Primary
Biden: 1,264,624
Sanders: 387,834
Others: 43,050
Total: 1,595,508

PA GOP Primary
Trump: 1,043,311
Others: 88,902
Total: 1,132,213

It’s possible that those voting for Sanders didn’t get the memo that he dropped out (despite being weeks and months after). Or it’s a preview of the actual election results, with the majority of democratic voters consolidating around one candidate but a small percentage of Sanders supporters not voting for the nominee who in return gets less votes than Trump. And remember incumbents usually less turnout during their primaries.

 

[MrFliop]

OH and PA are the only swing states that held primaries AFTER both parties had ONE nominee. But I’ll post the results of the other states to show how crucial Sanders voters are.

FL Dem Primary
Biden: 1,077,375
Sanders: 397,311
Others: 264,528
Total: 1,739,214

FL GOP Primary
Trump: 1,162,984
Others: 76,955
Total: 1,239,939

NC Dem Primary
Biden: 572,271
Sanders: 322,645
Others: 437,466
Total: 1,332,382

NC GOP Primary
Trump: 750,600
Others: 51,927
Total: 802,527

WI Dem Primary
Biden: 581,463
Sanders: 293,441
Others: 50,261
Total: 925,165

WI GOP Primary
Trump: 616,782
Others: 13,416
Total: 630,198

MI DEM Primary
Biden: 840,360
Sanders: 576,926
Others: 170,393
Total: 1,587,679

MI GOP Primary
Trump: 639,500
Others: 3,067
Total: 642,567

 

[portlandatheist]

the bitter bernie bro demographic that voted for Trump out their spite is thankfully, a demographic we can all happily ignore this go around. Sanders outspent Biden massively in Texas and yet Bernie voters still felt disenfranchised by their loss but that is the false virtue of populism: they imagine they represent the "true will" of the "true people" but at the end of the day, they could really care less about who actually receives the most votes and will be sore losers.

 

[acbytesla]

Other polls also say Trump would get about 15% from Sanders supporters. Roughly the same share he got in 2016.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...orters-vote-trump-over-biden-poll/2936124001/

Also even if the Sanders supporters who don’t support Biden vote mostly third party instead of Trump, it would still help him.

Maybe. But I strongly doubt it. I have never see anyone engender such passionate dislike as Trump. People despise him with a passion.

As his handling of the COVID pandemic gets worse and worse and the death toll continues to skyrocket, hell continue to lose support. He just found the issue he cannot pull off the headlines.

 

[Sideroxylon]

Is there a point beyond tribalism here?

 

[kookbreaker]

Also, a 20% abstain vote from Sanders supporters could be harmful to Biden in key battle ground states.

Let me give some examples:

Traditionally incumbents receive less votes during primaries compared to competative primaries.

Yet even though Biden was unopposed by this time he got LESS votes than Trump in the Ohio primary with Sanders receiving 16% despite the fact that he dropped out 3 weeks earlier.

OH Dem Primary
Biden: 647,284
Sanders: 149,683
Others: 97,416
Total: 894,383

OH GOP Primary (Trump was unopposed on ballot)
Trump: 682,845

Then in the Pennsylvania primary, almost 2 months after Sanders withdrawal, Biden got slightly more votes than Trump with Sanders getting about 18%.

PA Dem Primary
Biden: 1,264,624
Sanders: 387,834
Others: 43,050
Total: 1,595,508

PA GOP Primary
Trump: 1,043,311
Others: 88,902
Total: 1,132,213

It’s possible that those voting for Sanders didn’t get the memo that he dropped out (despite being weeks and months after). Or it’s a preview of the actual election results, with the majority of democratic voters consolidating around one candidate but a small percentage of Sanders supporters not voting for the nominee who in return gets less votes than Trump. And remember incumbents usually less turnout during their primaries.

Many folks voting for Sanders in PA and other late primaries were doing so as a message to Biden that they still want more progressive elements in o his platform. This was deliberate and there were a number of people advising this on social media and elsewhere. They weren’t sabatoging Biden or forgetting that Sanders suspended his campaign. They weren’t planning to vote for Trump later on, it was a message from progressive voters.

 

[CapelDodger]

I know, you’re thinking how could any person could support Trump and Sanders indifferently?

Actually I'm wondering why you're opening yourself up to humiliation on such a short time-scale.

 

[CapelDodger]

Maybe. But I strongly doubt it. I have never see anyone engender such passionate dislike as Trump. People despise him with a passion.

Count me in.

As his handling of the COVID pandemic gets worse and worse and the death toll continues to skyrocket, hell continue to lose support. He just found the issue he cannot pull off the headlines.

Trump's core support is chipping away, but like granite under a copper chisel. When it comes to it they'll cling to an existing COVID disaster with Trump rather than without.

 

[Bob001]

....
Not all Bernie voters are Democratic Socialists. Many simply wanted him because he represents change. And, like it or not, Donald Trump represents change, whether in a good way or bad. ....

But does he? He's been President for almost four years. He has a record. Did he bring the change the Bernie crowd hoped for? All Biden has to do is keep asking "Are you better off today than you were when I left office?" For many Americans, if not the majority, the answer is a resounding no.