Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) told MSNBC host Rachel Maddow on Wednesday night that he didn’t seek House Majority Whip James Clyburn’s influential endorsement ahead of the South Carolina primary because he never thought he’d get it. Citing The Daily Beast’s report that Clyburn claimed the Vermont senator didn’t court his support, Maddow asked Sanders if the story was true.

After saying he knew Clyburn well and that they’d worked together on Obamacare in the past, Sanders added: “Look, it is no secret—Jim is a very nice guy, I like him and respect him—his politics are not my politics. And I respect him, but there’s no way in God’s earth he was going to be endorsing me.”

Clyburn’s endorsement of former Vice President Joe Biden days ahead of the South Carolina primary has been largely credited with boosting Biden’s then-fading campaign and pushing him to his dominant Super Tuesday performance.