Sanders discourages third-party votes: ‘Not the time for a protest vote’

Former Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders on Sunday discouraged voters from picking a third-party nominee, saying the issues facing the U.S. are too dire for a “protest vote.” 

{mosads}”This moment in history for a presidential election is not the time for a protest vote,” the Vermont senator said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” 

“It’s time to look at which candidate will work best for the middle class and working families.” 

He said he didn’t want to disparage third-party candidates, but he encouraged voters to pick Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton over Republican nominee Donald Trump. 

Libertarian presidential nominee Gary Johnson has hoped to benefit from record low favorability numbers for Clinton and Trump. But a RealClearPolitics polling average only gives him 8.9 percent support nationally.