Sen. Bernie Sanders tells Democrats to focus on economy, not just abortion

"We have also got to focus on the struggles of working people to put food on their table," Sanders said.

Published: October 23, 2022 1:51pm

Updated: October 23, 2022 4:46pm

Sen. Bernie Sanders on Sunday said Democrats need to focus on the economy and not just abortion, with just over two weeks left to the midterm elections.

"One of the reasons for inflation is the incredible level of corporate greed," Sanders, a Vermont independent who caucuses with Democrats, told CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union."

"I think what the Democrats have got to say is, 'We are going to stand with working people,'" Sanders said. "Is the abortion issue important? Yes. But we have also got to focus on the struggles of working people to put food on their table."

Sanders wrote an op-ed for The Guardian earlier this month titled: "Democrats shouldn’t focus only on abortion in the midterms. That's a mistake."

In that piece, he said: "In my view, while the abortion issue must remain on the front burner, it would be political malpractice for Democrats to ignore the state of the economy and allow Republican lies and distortions to go unanswered."

Inflation is at its highest in decades, with the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data showing that the consumer price index rose 8.3% over the last year.