Sen. Barbara Boxer Barbara Levy BoxerHispanic civil rights icon endorses Harris for president California AG Becerra included in Bloomberg 50 list Climate debate comes full circle MORE (D-Calif.) said presidential candidate Bernie Sanders Bernard (Bernie) SandersSenate Dems seek to turn tables on GOP in climate change fight Bernie Sanders Town Hall finishes third in cable news race, draws 1.4 million viewers Woman to undecided Biden: 'Just say yes' to 2020 bid MORE has been helpful to the Democratic Party by galvanizing young voters — possibly with help from his resemblance to that generation's grandfathers.

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“Bernie’s entry in the race I think was very helpful, because he was able to communicate to the young people who were longing to hear their grievances addressed,” Boxer said in an interview with SiriusXM’s Julie Mason. “There was a psychologist I heard who said that the young people look at Bernie as their grandpa. You know, ‘Oh it’s my grandpa and he’s gonna do great things for me.’ And so he connected with a whole group of voters who don’t ordinarily vote.”

Boxer, a Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonREAD: Cohen testimony alleges Trump knew Stone talked with WikiLeaks about DNC emails County GOP in Minnesota shares image comparing Sanders to Hitler Holder: 'Time to make the Electoral College a vestige of the past' MORE backer, added that she is optimistic that Sanders will help the party defeat presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump Donald John TrumpREAD: Cohen testimony alleges Trump knew Stone talked with WikiLeaks about DNC emails Trump urges North Korea to denuclearize ahead of summit Venezuela's Maduro says he fears 'bad' people around Trump MORE in the general election.

“Now I think what’s important now is that we unify once all the votes are in. And if we do unify and I take Bernie at his word, he said he’s gonna do everything in his power to keep Donald Trump out of the White House. If that’s fact, and I do believe it to be so, I think we’ll be fine," she said.

Boxer was booed by Sanders supporters as she gave a speech at the Nevada Democratic convention recently, where she later said she feared for her safety.