Biden Says He Wants To Keep Sens. Bernie Sanders & Elizabeth Warren In Senate, Rather Joining His Administration

President-elect Joe Biden indicated Tuesday that he wants to keep progressive voices, such as Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) in the Senate, instead of giving them a role in the incoming administration.

He told NBC News that his administration already had “significant representation among progressives” but “there’s nothing really off the table.”

“Taking someone out of the Senate, taking someone out of the House, particularly a person of consequence, is a really difficult decision that would have to be made,” Biden said. “I have a very ambitious, very progressive agenda. And it’s going to take really strong leaders in the House and Senate to get it done.”

Biden has announced several picks for his administration over the past week, including former Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen as Treasury Secretary, Ron Klain as Chief of Staff, Tony Blinken as Secretary of State and Jake Sullivan as National Security Adviser.

During the interview, Biden suggested Klain and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows may have spoken already.

Biden did, however, acknowledge that he was open to appointing Republicans to his administration as a sign of unifying the country. His transition team had been vetting Republican candidates for cabinet spots in the lead-up to Election Day.