In backing rival candidate, Bernie Sanders makes it clear he’s no fan of DNC chairwoman

Bernie Sanders announced his support Saturday for a candidate vying to unseat Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the latest tiff between the Vermont senator and leaders of the Democratic Party.

In an interview with CNN, Sanders endorsed Tim Canova, who is challenging Wasserman Schultz, chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, in an Aug. 30 primary for the South Florida congressional seat she’s held since 2013. Canova, a law professor, has advised Sanders about the Federal Reserve.

“Well, clearly, I favor her opponent,” said Sanders, who also said he would not favor reappointing Wasserman Schultz as chair of the DNC, in an interview that will air on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “His views are much closer to mine than as to Wasserman Schultz’s.”

The endorsement from Sanders comes as the party is looking to unite ahead of what will likely be a November slugfest with Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee. But tensions between Sanders and the DNC have persisted for several months, and his move will likely serve to further divide their camps.

From the outset of his campaign, Sanders, who spent most of his political career as an independent, has assailed the DNC for tipping the scales in favor of Clinton by, among other things, limiting debates.

Tensions increased late in 2015 when Sanders filed a lawsuit against the DNC after the national party cut off his campaign’s access to crucial voter data, saying his campaign had breached access to it. Sanders later dropped the lawsuit.

And just this week, Sanders clashed with Wasserman Schultz over violence that erupted recently at the Nevada Democratic Convention, which party officials blamed on a disgruntled group of Sanders supporters.

In response to Sanders’ endorsement of her challenger, Wasserman Schultz said Saturday that she remains neutral in the Democratic presidential primary.

For weeks, Clinton supporters have called on Sanders to exit the race. Yet Sanders remains undeterred, vowing to remain in the Democratic contest and fight for a more liberal platform at the party’s July convention in Philadelphia.