#NeverWarren trends after Democratic debate

A spat between Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) over whether Sanders said he believed a woman could not be elected president spilled on to Twitter after Tuesday’s Democratic primary debate in Iowa, causing the hashtag #NeverWarren to trend in the top three on Twitter in the United States.

The trending topic comes after Sanders and Warren publicly disagreed over whether Sanders had made the remark that a woman could not win the White House in a private meeting with Warren in December 2018. Sanders vehemently denied that he made the statement, while Warren stuck to her claim that the exchange occurred. 

Following the debate, Sanders supporters lambasted Warren on social media over the claim.

Elizabeth Warren would not only lose to Donald Trump, but cause the actual left to be blamed for decades.

It is imperative that @ewarren is not nominated for the survival of the left. #NeverWarren

— yellow vest america (@america_vest) January 15, 2020

I used to think I could settle for Warren, and now after this disgusting smear campaign revealed who she really is, I viscerally despise her. Absolutely #NeverWarren. Not in the general. Not ever. #DemDebate #Bernie2020

— Jeremiah Red (@_Floodlight) January 15, 2020

Yeah 0:30 she gives it away. She wants to win as the progressive and take over the popular movement that Bernie and his supporters have been pouring all their time and energy into.#NeverWarren#NotMeUs https://t.co/Th4r6JFJrz

— Justin for Congress (@JustinTX_20) January 12, 2020

Supporters of Warren and others who simply called for Democratic Party unity piled on to the hashtag Wednesday morning as it trended, urging Democrats to agree to support whomever is the eventual nominee.

Saying #NeverWarren or Never any Democratic candidate who may win the nomination is WHITE PRIVILEGE on display. PERIOD.

— (((DeanObeidallah))) (@DeanObeidallah) January 15, 2020

This is horrific.
Co-founder of @People4Bernie here. Please do NOT support this.#WarrenIsASnake #NeverWarren
It’s really not helping, and is the kind of thing that Russian bots and Trump social media might be amplifying.

— Trauma-Informed Charles (@clenchner) January 15, 2020

I believe in Bernie Sanders, what he stands for and how consistent he has been in his political aspirations his entire career. The faction of Bernie supporters who condone or participate in things like this –> #NeverWarren, delegitimize his entire movement with misogyny

— Mykki Blanco (@MykkiBlanco) January 15, 2020

Twitter did not immediately return a request for comment on the hashtag Wednesday morning.

The debate moment occurred just a day after the conversation between Warren and Sanders was reported by CNN and confirmed by other news outlets, igniting a rift between the two campaigns and resulting in Sanders accusing aides to Warren, and eventually the senator herself, of lying about his supposed remarks.