Senator Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., has advised Democratic strategist James Carville to "start his own party" if he disagrees with the direction of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. The exchange occurred when Sanders was asked about Carville's recent comments dismissing left-wing figures like Twitch streamer Hasan Piker.
Speaking to CNN's Abby Phillip, Sanders stated that if Carville does not wish to be part of the same party as progressives like Piker and Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee for Michigan's U.S. Senate seat, he is free to form his own.
Carville, a prominent strategist for former President Bill Clinton, had previously expressed his unwillingness to be in the same political party as Piker, whom he called a "blowhard." Piker has supported progressive candidates, including El-Sayed, who secured the Democratic nomination for Michigan's Senate race. Carville also criticized progressive candidates, suggesting their message is to "blow everything up" and that they primarily challenge other Democrats rather than Republicans.
Sanders defended the inclusion of figures like Piker, advocating for a "big tent" approach within the Democratic Party. He implied that some establishment Democrats might be influenced by funding from groups such as the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and the artificial intelligence industry. However, he did not name specific politicians in relation to these funding sources.
Carville had also pointed to Sanders' past presidential campaigns, noting that he "lost by a lot" twice. The strategist argued that many progressive candidates are unpopular and fail to recognize it. The debate highlights ongoing tensions within the Democratic Party between its moderate and progressive factions.