Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) on Wednesday said it was "absolutely" a mistake for Democratic National Committee chairman Tom Perez to endorse New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo for reelection ahead of the Democratic primary.
Sanders, who caucuses with the Senate Democrats, sat down for an interview with Washington Post political correspondent James Hohmann to discuss several issues, including the New York gubernatorial race and Democratic infighting.
Hohmann asked Sanders whether he thought it was a mistake for Perez to endorse Cuomo over his progressive primary opponent Cynthia Nixon.
"Absolutely," Sanders said.
Hohmann followed up by asking whether the endorsement was a sign progressive candidates may not get a fair shake in 2020.
"It does," Sanders said.
"Look, there is massive discontent with the political system. People don't vote. People often hold their noses, and they vote. And I think by and large, especially in the Democratic party, what I have said ... is open the doors of the Democratic party, welcome working people, welcome young people in, welcome idealism in."
Sanders went on to say that he has worked "okay" with Perez during his tenure as DNC chair on various issues, but he said Perez's endorsement of Cuomo is "not what the chair of the DNC should be doing."
Sanders is not the only person upset with Perez's endorsement of Cuomo. Rep. Keith Ellison (D., Minn.), the DNC deputy chairman, expressed his opposition to the endorsement by saying "the Democratic Party should not intervene in the primary process. It is our role to be fair to all contestants and let the voters decide."
Liberal radio host Bill Press also slammed Perez's decision to endorse Cuomo, calling it a "colossal mistake."
"Tom Perez yesterday at Hofstra University stood on stage and endorsed Andrew Cuomo over Cynthia Nixon. Big mistake. Didn't we learn anything in 2016?" Press said. "The Democratic National Committee should not be taking sides during the primary, any primary. They did it for Hillary [Clinton] over Bernie [Sanders]. It cost them a lot of support. It was unfair. They lied about it."
"Yet here they are making the same mistake all over again. There is no reason for the DNC to get involved in the Democratic primary in New York state. May the best person win," Press added.
Perez endorsed Cuomo at the New York state Democratic Convention at Hofstra University late last month. He said during the event that he has admired the Cuomo family since his youth, and he called Andrew Cuomo one of the "charter members of the accomplishment wing of the Democratic Party."