Sanders campaign urging volunteers to tell Warren supporters she only appeals to ‘affluent’: report

A script being distributed by Sen. Bernie Sanders’s (I-Vt.) presidential campaign to volunteers reportedly presents Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) as a 2020 candidate who appeals predominantly to better-educated, wealthier voters.

According to Politico, the script instructs volunteers to tell voters leaning toward the Massachusetts senator that “I like Elizabeth Warren. [optional] In fact, she’s my second choice. But here’s my concern about her.”

It goes on to instruct volunteers to say “people who support her are highly-educated, more affluent people who are going to show up and vote Democratic no matter what” and that “[s]he’s bringing no new bases into the Democratic Party,” the news outlet reported.

Politico added that instructs volunteers to take aim at the electability in the other candidates within the top tier of the Democratic field as well, pointing out former South Bend, Ind. Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s lack of support among African Americans and young people and saying that former Vice President Joe Biden “doesn’t really have any volunteers” and fails to generate excitement even among supporters.

It was reportedly unclear whether the script was intended for phone canvassing or those going door-to-door.

Sanders and Warren, longtime personal friends, have largely held off on attacks on one another, with both campaigns largely training their fire on their more moderate competitors.

Despite similar economic populist messages, the two campaigns have attracted different levels of support among the working class, with an Open Secrets analysis last September showing Sanders is the top recipient of donations from professions such as nurses, farmers, servers, truckers, social workers, retail workers and construction workers. 

The Sanders campaign did not dispute the authenticity of the script to Politico, but offered no further comment.

A spokesperson for the Sanders campaign declined comment to The Hill.

The Hill has also reached out to the Warren campaign for comment.

–This report was updated at 9:21 a.m.