Independent Senator Bernie Sanders has warned against the influence of billionaires on Tuesday's midterm elections, accusing them of acting like oligarchs who are "trying to undermine American democracy.”
Sanders said on Monday that only a massive surge of voter turnout and transformative legislative action will be enough to counter the influence of billionaires on the midterm elections.
"Billionaires are saying, 'Hey, we own the country, we may as well own the political system, and I'm going to elect you and I'm going to defeat you.' That ain't democracy, that's oligarchy," said Sanders.
With billionaires spending massively for Congress and key positions at the state level, Sanders argued that the midterms are "about saving the foundations of American democracy."
He said that “in the next few days, to do everything you can to vote, get your friends to vote, …And do everything you can to defeat Republican extremism."
Looking beyond Tuesday's vote, Sanders said, "Don't think that it's all over on Election Day, no matter what happens."
In another speech on Saturday, Sanders criticized the Republican candidates running for office who have denied the results of the 2020 elections.
“I want you to think about what kind of political systems we can have when you have candidates saying that ‘the only way I lose an election is if there is fraud,’” Sanders said. “That is a cowardly, wimpy response to political defeat.”
Trump, who has given every indication that he will launch another bid for the White House in 2024, has claimed he lost the 2020 election because of widespread fraud.
The former president and his right-wing allies have already started casting doubt on the legitimacy of Tuesday’s midterm election.
Millions of voters are expected to cast their ballots on Tuesday to determine the next makeup of Congress.
The results will also set the tone for the last two years in office for Democratic President Joe Biden, who has taken a range of targeted actions to deal with the soaring gas prices, which have created serious headwinds for his Democratic party so far.