Bernie Sanders Says GOP Knows Trump Has Lost: ‘The Average Republican Senator Is Not an Idiot’

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders implied that the public refusal to acknowledge President Donald Trump’s loss in the 2020 election by Congressional Republicans was little more than a temporary ploy to avoid angering him.

Appearing on CNN, the former Democratic presidential candidate called out the president’s ongoing denial that rival Joe Biden has won the election.

“The president is choosing to disregard our democracy right now, ignore the will of millions of Americans. What is your reaction to what is going on?” host Wolf Blitzer asked Sanders.

“Look. People lose close elections. Hillary Clinton lost a close election. Other people have lost close elections,” Sanders noted. “In America you say I fought as hard as I could and I want to thank our supporters and I congratulate the winner and let’s go forward with the transition we all love our country and we want the best for America. What [Trump] is doing is delegitimatizing our electoral process and American democracy.”

Blitzer then asked about a comment from Sanders’ Senate colleague, Chris Coons, who said on Tuesday that Republicans privately relay congratulations to Biden though him, but won’t yet dare to do so publicly.

“Are you having similar conversations with the Republicans behind the scenes?” the CNN host asked.

“Absolutely,” Sanders confirmed. “The average Republican senator is not an idiot. They understand that Trump has lost.”

“They are afraid to stand up to him. So you got a party not of individuals but almost a cult-type party where members of the Senate who know better, not just on this issue, on many other issues, come up to you privately and say, ‘Yeah, Trump is a little bit crazy but, you know?'” Sanders explained. “I hope they get the courage to stand up as individuals and represent their constituencies and not live in fear of Donald Trump. It’s not a good thing.”

Watch the video above, via CNN.

Have a tip we should know? tips@mediaite.com