Former Rep. John Delaney John DelaneyCoronavirus Report: The Hill's Steve Clemons interviews Rep. Rodney Davis Eurasia Group founder Ian Bremmer says Trump right on China but wrong on WHO; CDC issues new guidance for large gatherings The Hill's Coronavirus Report: Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas says country needs to rethink what 'policing' means; US cases surpass 2 million with no end to pandemic in sight MORE (Md.), a moderate Democrat running for president in 2020, urged the party not to nominate a candidate who supports socialism.

“If we want to win and we want to beat Trump, we should not put up a candidate who embraces socialism. That’s not what the American people want,” Delaney said Wednesday on CNN.

In order to "beat Trump," 2020 Democratic candidate @JohnDelaney says "we should not put up a candidate who embraces socialism."



"That's not what the American people want." https://t.co/IX6MixixWr pic.twitter.com/OCEouuXxPq — New Day (@NewDay) February 20, 2019

An ideological debate among Democrats has ramped up in recent months after the insurgent campaign of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Alexandria Ocasio-CortezHouse passes bill to avert shutdown Trump attacks Omar for criticizing US: 'How did you do where you came from?' The Memo: Dems face balancing act on SCOTUS fight MORE (D-N.Y.), a self-declared democratic socialist, dethroned a top House Democrat in the 2018 congressional primary election.

Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersButtigieg stands in as Pence for Harris's debate practice Bernie Sanders warns of 'nightmare scenario' if Trump refuses election results Harris joins women's voter mobilization event also featuring Pelosi, Gloria Steinem, Jane Fonda MORE (I-Vt.), another democratic socialist, electrified the progressive base in 2016 during his campaign against eventual Democratic nominee for president Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonButtigieg stands in as Pence for Harris's debate practice Senate GOP sees early Supreme Court vote as political booster shot Poll: 51 percent of voters want to abolish the electoral college MORE and announced Tuesday he would make a second run at the White House, raising $6 million on its first day.

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President Trump Donald John TrumpOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Pelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare Trump mocks Biden appearance, mask use ahead of first debate MORE has also sought to divide Democrats over socialism, recently mentioning the ideology in his State of the Union address and a speech this week on Venezuela in which he proclaimed, “The days of socialism are numbered.”

Despite Delaney’s disagreements with the more progressive wing of his party, he said he would still support any Democratic nominee who faces off against Trump in the general election.

“All the people running are so much better than President Trump, who I believe doesn’t have a moral compass and is dishonest with the American people. Of course I believe I would support them all,” he said Wednesday.

Wednesday’s comments mark the second time in as many days that Delaney has come out against nominating a candidate who supports socialism. He discussed the intraparty divide Tuesday after Sanders’s presidential announcement, saying "top-down, government-only approaches" are not the best polices for the American people.

“This primary is going to be a choice between socialism and a more just form of capitalism. I believe in capitalism, the free markets, and the private economy. I don’t believe socialism is the answer and I don’t believe it’s what the American people want. I don’t believe top-down, government-only approaches are the right answer,” he said in a statement Tuesday.