Bernie Sanders Raises Eyebrows By Calling Marjorie Taylor Greene A ‘Good’ Republican

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) argued this week that Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) is one of the “good” Republicans, despite their different points of view.

During a CNN town hall on Wednesday, an audience member asked Sanders which Republicans he believes he can work with to reopen the government. The Vermont senator replied that he could “mention a number of them” before specifically naming Greene. 

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“There are some decent, honest Republicans,” Sanders began. “And you know, in American society, we believe in democracy. You’re a conservative  Republican. We disagree. So what? It’s called America. We have different points of view.” 

The former Democratic presidential candidate went on to say that he’s been concerned about Republicans “doing less of representing their districts and their states than just swearing allegiance to the president of the United States.” 

But then he offered his unexpected praise for Greene.

“But you have somebody like Marjorie Taylor Greene saying, ’You know what, I was elected by my constituents, that’s who I am beholden to, not the president or the United States. So there are good Republicans out there,” Sanders added. 

Sanders appeared to be referencing a remark Greene made in an NBC News interview earlier this month.

“I’m not some sort of blind slave to the president, and I don’t think anyone should be,” Greene said. “I serve in Congress. We’re a separate branch of the government, and I’m not elected by the president.”

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She added, “I’m not elected by anyone that works in the White House. I’m elected by my district. That’s who I work for, and I got elected without the president’s endorsement, and, you know, I think that has served me really well.”

Sanders then lamented the way Trump is constantly threatening Republican lawmakers.

“If [President] Trump would leave them alone for five minutes and not threaten them with a primary, if they stood up and did the right thing, I think we can make progress,” Sanders argued.

In recent weeks, Greene has been more critical of her own party, particularly over the ongoing government shutdown. Her remarks have earned her praise from prominent Democrats.

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In an X post, she called out the GOP over health care — a main point of contention between Democrats and Republicans amid the shutdown.

“I’m not towing the party line on this, or playing loyalty games. … I’m carving my own lane,” she wrote. “Not a single Republican in leadership talked to us about this or has given us a plan to help Americans deal with their health insurance premiums DOUBLING!!!”

While she hasn’t held back on publicly holding her own party accountable, Greene is still very much on the attack against Democrats as well, writing “DEMOCRATS created the healthcare crisis in America in 2010 by passing the Affordable Care Act aka Obamacare,” in an Oct. 12 X post.

Elsewhere in the CNN town hall, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who appeared alongside Sanders, apparently wasn’t so gung-ho about Greene.

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Asked if Greene is someone she could see herself working with, the New York lawmaker asked with a laugh, “On what?”

She added that “people can talk a good game, but until they actually support policy that helps people, I’m not particularly interested.”

Watch the CNN town hall below.

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