Sanders backs opponent of Democratic party chair

Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz faces August primary challenge, says she remains ‘neutral’ in presidential primary

By AP 22 May 2016, 3:29 am

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Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, left, greets supporters after making a speech Friday, May 20. 2016, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. (Roberto E. Rosales/The Albuquerque Journal via AP)

WASHINGTON — Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders said he plans to support the opponent of Democratic National Committee chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz in her Florida primary contest Aug. 30 for her congressional seat.

Sanders, a Democratic presidential candidate who has been feuding with Wasserman Schultz and the DNC, told CNN he favors Tim Canova in Florida’s 23rd congressional district. Canova is supporting Sanders.

Sanders said in an interview to be broadcast Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” that Canova’s views are much closer to his views.

“Clearly I favor her opponent,” he said.

Sanders trails Hillary Clinton in the Democratic presidential race. But he said if he’s elected president, “she would not be reappointed to be chair of the DNC.”

Wasserman Schultz said Saturday that she would remain neutral in the Democratic presidential race despite his endorsement of her primary opponent.

“Even though Senator Sanders has endorsed my opponent, I remain, as I have been from the beginning, neutral in the presidential Democratic primary,” she said. “I look forward to working together with him for Democratic victories in the fall.”

Sanders has accused the DNC and Wasserman Schultz of favoring Clinton. And he has criticized the party for scheduling debates on weekend nights, for having many closed primaries and for its superdelegate system that helped Clinton pad her lead.