Sen. Amy Klobuchar said she will unite behind the Democratic nominee, but does not think Sen. Bernie Sanders “should be leading the ticket.”
Klobuchar joined MSNBC’s “Meet the Press” for a Sunday interview after polls showed Sanders leading in both Iowa and New Hampshire. Klobuchar is polling in fifth place in both states, behind Sanders, Pete Buttigieg, Joe Biden, and Elizabeth Warren.
“When it is time, we must unify because what unites us is so much bigger than what divides us,” said Klobuchar when asked if she would support the Democratic nominee. However, the Minnesota senator said she thinks her moderate policies would be more appealing to voters in swing states.
“I’m ready to support the winner, but I make a strong case here that if you look at how we’ve won in states like Louisiana and Kentucky and in Wisconsin where we beat Scott Walker, or in Michigan—this is about candidates that reflected their states,” she said. “I think Sen. Sanders’ idea of kicking 149 million Americans off their current health insurance in four years is wrong. That’s why I don’t think he should be leading the ticket. I think I should be leading the ticket because my ideas are much more in sync with bold ways of getting things done.”
Klobuchar has been slowly gaining momentum in the early states and received the endorsement of the New Hampshire Union Leader’s editorial board—the state’s largest newspaper. That endorsement came shortly after Klobuchar was partially endorsed by The New York Times.
The remaining Democratic candidates will debate in New Hampshire just four days before the state’s February 11 primary.
“I’m the only one in the Senate running left on that stage that has passed over 100 bills as the lead Democrat,” said Klobuchar. “That matters to people right now.”
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Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of The Minnesota Sun and The Ohio Star. Follow Anthony on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Amy Klobuchar” by Meet the Press.
