Republican strategist Karl Rove says Sen. Bernie SandersBernie SandersThe Hill’s 12:30 Report: Milley apologizes for church photo-op Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk Biden courts younger voters \u2014 who have been a weakness MORE (I-Vt.) could defeat President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE in 2020.<\/p>\n
In an opinion piece in The Wall Street Journal Thursday, Rove cited Sanders’s performance at a Monday town hall on Fox News,\u00a0during which\u00a0the audience applauded his calls for “Medicare for All.”<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen only 37% of Americans in the RealClearPolitics average think the country is going in the right direction while 56.4% think it\u2019s on the wrong track, Mr. Sanders could be perceived as an agent of change,\u201d Rove wrote.<\/p>\n
ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n
\u201cIf he is the Democratic nominee, Mr. Trump\u2019s task will be to convince Americans that a socialist turn would be a ruinous change. Based on Monday\u2019s town hall, that won\u2019t be as easy as Republicans may think. Mr. Sanders is a real contender,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Rove wrote that Sanders showed he has improved as a candidate since 2016, citing how he sidestepped a question about whether he benefitted from the Republican tax cuts to focus instead on Trump’s refusal to release his own returns.<\/p>\n
Rove added that Sanders had learned how to \u201csmooth socialism\u2019s rough edges” and now had a message focused on economic disparities that resonated with voters.<\/p>\n
Polls show Sanders as one of the top-tier Democratic presidential candidates, running second behind former Vice President Joe BidenJoe BidenHillicon Valley: Biden calls on Facebook to change political speech rules | Dems demand hearings after Georgia election chaos | Microsoft stops selling facial recognition tech to police Trump finalizing executive order calling on police to use ‘force with compassion’ The Hill’s Campaign Report: Biden campaign goes on offensive against Facebook MORE in most polls.<\/p>\n
A national poll last week\u00a0showed\u00a0him in first place and as the top beneficiary if Biden, who has still not formally announced, decides not to run.<\/p>\n
Sanders\u2019s Fox News town hall\u00a0drew\u00a0more than 2.55 million viewers as well as the ire of Trump, a frequent Fox News viewer, who\u00a0accused\u00a0the network of not allowing Trump supporters into the event.<\/p>\n