Howard Dean, the former Democratic presidential candidate and Vermont governor, says Sen. Bernie Sanders "can make a real run" at winning the Democratic nomination.
Dean, who earlier in the interview said he was a strong Hillary Clinton supporter and was "all in" for her winning the nomination, also said Sanders "is making progress" and "anything can happen in a presidential race."
"He is making progress," Dean said to radio host John Catsimatidis on the Cats Roundtable on AM970 on Sunday.
The former Democratic national chairman added he believed the socialist from Vermont had long made income inequality his issue, and that was "the number one issue for the American people."
"I've known Bernie a very long time. All his life as politician his message as been economic justice and this is the year for that. Even the Republican pollsters understand that this probably the number one issue for the American people."
Dean said he still thought Clinton would win, but added "anything can happen in a presidential race."
"This is Bernie's issue and he's very good at it," said Dean. "He's very good at it. He's a good debater. He's very smart and I think that he can make a real run at this. I think Hillary can win but anything can happen in a presidential race."