A prominent Democratic donor on Friday emailed dozens of supporters of Vice President Biden, imploring them to be prepared in case he decides to make a late entry into the White House race.
The donor, businessman Bill Bartmann, cited a new poll showing Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Hillary Clinton nearly tied nationwide. He is worried that Sanders, a self-proclaimed democratic socialist, is too far to the left to win a general election.
{mosads}“We cannot afford to lose the White House,” Bartmann wrote in the email, according to Reuters.
Biden announced in October that he would not run for president. But donors have remained hopeful that the vice president could throw his hat into the race if the Clinton campaign shows weakness.
“Count me in,” Gary Hindes, a former chairman of the Delaware Democratic Party, wrote in the email chain.
“I am hoping that the stars line up right and that Joe becomes the nominee,” Hindes later told Reuters.
“Sanders is too far to the left,” he added, noting that Clinton could be vulnerable as well.
“My heart is with Joe.”