Meet the Press moderator Chuck Todd, meanwhile, wondered if it’s healthy for the Democratic Party to “highlight the division in the party,” specifically citing the recent censure of Sinema.

“Do you think that was an appropriate action?” Todd pressed Sanders.

“Yeah, I do. I think that’s exactly right,” the self-described democratic socialist shot back. “Look, on that issue of voting rights, this is something that’s almost different than anything else.”The Vermont senator further noted that the GOP is currently “perpetuating this ‘Big Lie’ that” former President Donald Trump actually won the 2020 presidential election, warning that Republicans are “moving very aggressively into voter suppression” in states across the nation.

“Some of these states are doing away with the powers of independent election officials,” he continued. “They are moving in a very, very anti-democratic way. And it was absolutely imperative that we change the rules so that we could pass strong voting rights legislation.”