Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., on Sunday called Vice President Kamala Harris' decision to moderate her views on fracking and "Medicare for All" "pragmatic," saying that Harris is "doing what she thinks is right in order to win the election" and that he still considers her to be "progressive."
Still, Sanders added that Harris has a path to victory by campaigning on other progressive positions, like raising the minimum wage, raising taxes on the wealthy and increasing Social Security benefits.
"I think if you campaign on those issues — raising taxes on billionaires — you know what, she's going to win, and I think she could win big," said Sanders, who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016 and 2020.
In recent weeks, Harris has changed her stance on certain issues, like supporting a ban on fracking, the ecologically controversial method of extracting oil and gas, and supporting proposals for "Medicare for All."
In an interview with CNN last month, Harris defended her shifting positions, saying, "The most important and most significant aspect of my policy perspective and decisions is my values have not changed."
Sanders has stopped short of endorsing her since she replaced President Joe Biden at the top of the ticket.
In July, shortly after Biden stepped down from his re-election campaign, Sanders told NBC News that he looked forward to "strongly supporting" Harris but added the caveat, "If she is going to win, she’s going to have to focus a great deal of attention on the plight of the American working class."
In recent weeks, Harris has focused on mapping out her economic agenda, which has led to her softening on several of Biden's core proposals for the fiscal year 2025 budget.
For example, Biden has proposed a 39.6% tax rate on long-term capital gains for households making $1 million or more. In New Hampshire last week, Harris proposed a similar tax, but at 28%.
Asked directly Sunday about the rate Harris proposed, Sanders said that "I would go I would go higher than that" and added that while Biden and Harris have achieved some progressive wins, "much more needs to be done."
Also last week, Harris backed a 25% minimum tax on total income, including "unrealized gains," which is often known as the "billionaire minimum tax."
“It’s just not right that those who can most afford it are often paying a lower tax rate than our teachers and our nurses and our firefighters. That’s why I support a billionaire minimum tax and corporations' paying their fair share," Harris said at the campaign event in New Hampshire.
Sanders said Sunday that he still considers Harris to be a progressive.
"She is not where I am," he said, but he added that her campaign's positions on making the child tax credit permanent, expanding affordable housing options and boosting unions are still "a big deal."
"Her views are not mine, but I do consider her progressive," he said.
CORRECTION (Sept. 9, 2024, 6:26 p.m. ET): A previous version of this article misstated who interviewed Harris last month. It was CNN, not ABC News.
