Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who represent the Democratic Party s more progressive wing, draw more frequent comparisons than any other 2020 primary candidates. News outlets have doggedly documented the two candidates subtle differences and, as Warren has climbed in opinion polls, have implied that her rise has come at Sanders expense.

But the Sanders campaign does not see it that way. His aides argue that they are competing more heavily to win over voters who gravitate toward former Vice President Joe Biden, rather than Warren or any other candidate.

Biden, the Sanders campaign believes, attracts the older working-class voters of all races with whom Sanders eventually gained traction in the 2016 election cycle.

Bernie appeals to younger working-class voters. Biden appeals to older working-class voters, Ben Tulchin, the Sanders campaigns chief pollster, told HuffPost. The latter are some of the same voters Bernie won over last time. Our view is that we can win them back again, especially talking about his core economic message.

When Bernie talks about a rigged economy propped up by a corrupt political system, that really resonates, he added.