It would behoove the senator, his supporters and the party he supposedly seeks to serve to recognize this unique moment we’re in is bigger than him.

April 1, 2020, 3:15 PM EDT
By Ashley Pratte

There is not a lot of certainty in the midst of an unprecedented pandemic, but two things are increasingly clear: one, that Donald Trump is unfit to serve in the Oval Office and cannot be re-elected president in November; and two, that Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., needs to drop out of the Democratic primary.

Former Vice President Joe Biden is the Democrats' best chance to beat Trump at the ballot box — even if it’s remote or virtual — this November, and there is virtually no way for Sanders to win enough delegates to best him in the remaining primaries. Thus, the longer that Sanders yet again remains in the race, the more it yet again hurts the Democrats’ chance at winning the White House.

Plus, continuing to attack a Democratic candidate looks ridiculously tone deaf as his fellow Americans battle the virus that Trump allowed to spread unchecked.

At a time when voters are scared for their health and fear going to the polls for the primary contests, it would be smart of Sanders to read the moment and recognize that it’s just not his. Sanders even knows that his path forward is a “narrow one” — but instead of dropping out is determined to use his diminishing candidacy to push forward his platform, as though he could not do so as a sitting senator with plenty of media opportunities. However, it would behoove Sanders and the party he supposedly seeks to serve to recognize this unique moment we’re in is bigger than his ego and bow out.

By proactively dropping out of the presidential race, Sanders would have a real opportunity to unite the party and to coalesce its support around Biden, rather than being a thorn in the side of the nominee, as he was in 2016. He can and should help to shape the future of the party, not help shape Republican attacks against it again.