Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is wading into a handful of Senate races as the progressive wing of the Democratic Party looks to assert its influence.
Sanders has endorsed three Senate candidates so far: Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan (D) in the race to succeed retiring Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.); oyster farmer Graham Platner in Maine; and Abdul El-Sayed, a former local health director in Michigan.
His endorsements come as Democrats grapple with competing visions over the party’s future ahead of both the midterms and the 2028 presidential race.
“We’re in the midst of a political realignment,” said Joseph Geevarghese, executive director of the Sanders organization Our Revolution.
“I think it remains to be seen — is it the populist right or the populist left that ultimately prevails?”
Sanders announced his latest political endorsement this week, weighing in on the Democratic primary for Smith’s seat next year and backing Flanagan over centrist Rep. Angie Craig (D-