The Democratic National Committee (DNC) adopted a new rule on Friday designed to keep non-DemocratsDemocrat candidates like Bernie Sanders from winning the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination in 2020.
The new rule, adopted by the DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee, says that all Democratic Party candidates must be a member of the Democratic Party.
This new rule would stop non-Democrats like Bernie Sanders from running for the party’s nomination in the 2020 presidential race unless they join the Democratic Party. The rule change appears to be a response to the bitter primary battle between Hillary Clinton and Sanders in 2016, although DNC members deny this.
Some Sanders allies think the party is now being motivated by a desire to punish him for his actions in 2016. Many Democratic Party members felt Sanders’ candidacy was disruptive and harmful and helped Donald Trump win the election.
Other Sanders allies pointed out that due to some special Democratic Party rules in Sanders’ home state of Vermont he may technically be considered to be a party member which would allow him to run for president after all. This is unclear at this time, however.
The new DNC rule would force candidates in Democratic presidential primaries to state that they are Democrats, accept the party’s nomination if they win the 2020 primary and to “run and serve” as a member. Sanders may not be willing to do that.
The new rule states:
“At the time a presidential candidate announces their candidacy publicly, they must publicly affirm that they are a Democrat. Each candidate pursuing the Democratic nomination shall affirm, in writing, to the National Chairperson of the Democratic National Committee that they: A. are a member of the Democratic Party; B. will accept the Democratic nomination; and C. will run and serve as a member of the Democratic Party.” read more