By Veronica Stracqualursi, CNN

(CNN) — Sen. Bernie Sanders says Democratic governors have “no choice” but to redraw congressional maps in response to Texas Republicans’ redistricting plan – which the Vermont independent describes as an attempt by President Donald Trump to “rig the system.”

“What we have now is a terrible situation, and Republicans are making it worse. Well, what are you going to do? If Republicans are doing it, you have to respond. It’s pathetic, but I think you have to respond,” Sanders said.

The progressive senator, kicking off a new swing of his “Fighting Oligarchy” tour, spoke to CNN “State of the Union” anchor Dana Bash in Wheeling, West Virginia, on Friday in a wide-ranging interview that covered the redistricting fight, Israel’s plans to expand the war in Gaza, the 2028 presidential election, and his view that the “Democratic Party has turned its back on what was its base.”

As Democrats in the Texas House have left the state to stonewall Republicans from moving forward with the redistricting plan, which aims to gain five GOP US House seats, governors of Democratic-controlled states like California and New York have threatened to respond with the same tactics. Sanders, who has long opposed gerrymandering, acknowledged that he still believes partisan line-drawing undermines the political process, but that “Democrats have got to fight back.”

“(Trump) is trying to, you know, in his authoritarian way, say, ‘Hey, I don’t want to lose elections. Let’s rig the system. Give me five more votes in Texas, maybe some other states,’” Sanders said. “So, what should Democrats do? Sit back and say, ‘Oh, gee, Trump is doing this terrible — we can’t do anything. Let them win the election,’ when they shouldn’t?”

Sanders’ tour has aimed to galvanize people looking for some form of political action and resistance to the Trump administration with rallies across the country – sometimes with guests like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and former presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke.

Sanders on Friday argued the case to a crowd in West Virginia – a state that Trump won overwhelmingly – that the Democratic Party has turned its back on the working class. He accused former Vice President Kamala Harris of listening to billionaires who backed her presidential bid in 2024.

Speaking to CNN afterward, Sanders called Harris a “friend of mine,” but said her campaign’s core consultants were “heavily influenced by very wealthy people.”

CNN has reached out to Harris’ office for comment.

“How do you run for president and not develop a strong agenda which speaks to the economic crisis facing working families?” he said. “You have more income and wealth inequality today than we’ve ever had.”

Sanders argued that the “clue to Democratic victories is to understand that you got to stand unequivocally with the working class of this country.”

The Democratic Party’s favorability rating among Americans was at a record low in a March CNN poll conducted by SSRS. Sanders had the third-most votes in the poll (8%) when Democratically aligned respondents were asked which leader they feel “best reflects the core values.” When asked whether he would run for president in 2028, though, Sanders pointed to his age.

“Let’s not worry about that. I am going to be 84 years of age next month, as a matter of fact,” he said. “I think that speaks for itself.”

But he told CNN there would “absolutely” be a candidate in 2028 who could take up his mantle representing the party’s progressive wing. “I can think of some great young people,” he said, without naming names.

Trump, meanwhile, has suggested that Vice President JD Vance could inherit the “MAGA” movement. Sanders told CNN “it doesn’t matter to me” who heads the Republican Party in 2028, arguing “the Republicans of today don’t have anything of significance to say to working class people.”

Sanders on global issues

Sanders is pushing the Trump administration not to send weapons to Israel amid a dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza and a major escalation in the war, after Israel approved plans to capture Gaza City.

“Israel had a right, of course, to defend itself from the terrible terrorist attack from Hamas, but what they have done since then is gone to war against the entire Palestinian people,” he argued. Sanders, who is Jewish, forced two Senate resolutions that would block some US arms sales to Israel that ultimately failed with no Republicans voting in support of them.

But he told CNN, “I think Republicans at a grassroots level are also catching on that it is not a great idea to provide billions to a government that starves children.”

Sanders, who has long been critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said the country’s actions have turned it into “almost a pariah state.”

With Trump set to meet with Putin this week, Sanders condemned the Russian leader as “a really awful guy.”

“You know, when you talk about oligarchs, Putin is one of the richest guys in the world, running a kleptocratic society, and then he invaded Ukraine with incredible destruction,” Sanders said. “People in Ukraine are suffering terribly because this guy wanted to start the largest war since World War II in Europe.”

Sanders said he’s “not a fan of Putin,” but would welcome any peace deal if the “people of Ukraine feel that the agreement is positive.” He cautioned Trump from an agreement that would sideline Ukraine’s interests.

“If, in fact, an agreement can be negotiated which does not compromise what the Ukrainians feel that they need, I think that’s a positive step forward,” Sanders said. “We all want to see an end to the bloodshed.”

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