Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersSirota reacts to report of harassment, doxing by Harris supporters Republicans not immune to the malady that hobbled Democrats The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Republicans lawmakers rebuke Trump on election MORE (I-Vt.) responded Thursday to fellow 2020 presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg Pete ButtigiegBillionaire who donated to Trump in 2016 donates to Biden The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - GOP closes ranks to fill SCOTUS vacancy by November Buttigieg stands in as Pence for Harris's debate practice MORE saying a proposed expansion of the Supreme Court could involve more justices like ex-Justice Anthony Kennedy, saying he would rather see justices in the mold of Sonia Sotomayor Sonia SotomayorToomey, swing state Republican, supports Senate moving on Trump Supreme Court nominee Names to watch as Trump picks Ginsburg replacement on Supreme Court READ: Supreme Court justices mourn death of Ginsburg, 'an American hero' MORE and Ruth Bader Ginsburg Ruth Bader GinsburgProgressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick Democratic senator to party: 'A little message discipline wouldn't kill us' Lincoln Project mocks Lindsey Graham's fundraising lag with Sarah McLachlan-themed video MORE.

Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Ind., made the comments in an interview with Cosmopolitan, telling the magazine he was open to expanding the Supreme Court to 15 justices and including five nonpartisan justices who could only be seated if the other 10 agreed. This plan would incorporate “justices who think for themselves … like Justice Kennedy or Justice [David] Souter," he said.

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The comment was picked up by the American Civil Liberties Union’s Brian Tashman, who noted that Kennedy, a swing-vote who retired from the high court in 2018, ruled in favor of the Trump administration’s travel ban and against public-sector labor unions’ right to collect fees from nonmembers.

Sanders, however, responded on Twitter that he'd rather see more reliably liberal justices join the court.

Interesting, I’d like more justices like Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor. https://t.co/zfv9U0Liut — Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) October 24, 2019

Buttigieg spokesman Sean Savett, pushed back Thursday afternoon on the original characterizations of his remarks, saying "This tweet ignores his comments in the interview, in which he said his appointments would ‘definitely be people who share my values,’ and how depoliticizing SCOTUS is personal to him because his marriage exists by a single vote on the court."

"To be clear: Pete has consistently said he would appoint justices to the Supreme Court who share his progressive values. Kennedy was not such a justice," Savett added.

Sanders and Buttigieg have largely avoided direct conflict during their respective campaigns, though Buttigieg has attempted to position himself as a more-moderate alternative to Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth WarrenOvernight Defense: Appeals court revives House lawsuit against military funding for border wall | Dems push for limits on transferring military gear to police | Lawmakers ask for IG probe into Pentagon's use of COVID-19 funds On The Money: Half of states deplete funds for Trump's 0 unemployment expansion | EU appealing ruling in Apple tax case | House Democrats include more aid for airlines in coronavirus package Warren, Khanna request IG investigation into Pentagon's use of coronavirus funds MORE (D-Mass.), particularly their progressive proposals on health care and taxation.

Sanders said in June that he “do[es] not believe in packing the court” but added, “I do believe constitutionally we have the power to rotate judges to other courts and that brings in new blood into the Supreme Court.”

—Updated at 3:58 p.m.