Sanders' rise fuels Dems' angst over keeping House control

The former Navy commander said of GOP efforts to paint all Democrats as socialists, “Bernie Sanders just adds fuel to that fire.”Rep. Scott Peters, D-Calif., a leader of his party’s House moderates, said there is widespread concern among lawmakers from competitive districts “that a Sanders candidacy would sink their reelections.”Peters, whose San Diego district is safely Democratic, said Sanders would complicate moderates’ reelection bids because “the face of the Democratic Party might be spouting things that are absolutely anathema to your voters.” Sanders advocacy for “Medicare for All,” the Green New Deal and student loan forgiveness has alienated many moderates.Of the 42 House seats Democrats gained in 2018 when they captured the majority, 29 are from districts that Trump either won in 2016 or lost by a narrow 5 percentage points or less. As Trump roared toward the GOP nomination, his anti-immigrant views and personal foibles soured Republican congressional candidates, but many chose not to abandon him and risk alienating their party’s base, conservative voters.Underscoring the tricky political terrain they face, several vulnerable Democrats said Wednesday that they would back whoever their party’s nominee is, but stopped short of saying they would campaign with Sanders.“We haven’t gotten that far yet,” said Rep. Lucy McBath from a closely divided district outside Atlanta.