Sen. Bernie Sanders acknowledges that he can’t be omnipresent, despite some allies wishing otherwise.
Democratic socialist Francesca Hong narrowly lost Wisconsin’s gubernatorial primary by under 4,000 votes, prompting some prominent progressives to blame Sanders and other leading national progressives for not engaging in the race. They argue that Sanders’ endorsement could have attracted much-needed resources for Hong. Others contend that the Vermont senator should exert influence across a broader political landscape.
In an interview, Sanders highlighted several progressive victories on Tuesday night and dismissed the criticism.
“My response is that we have limited resources and capabilities, and there are a lot of really great candidates who have run for office who we have not endorsed,” Sanders told POLITICO on Wednesday.
“We can’t endorse every single candidate,” he added. “So, you know, we have to pick and choose and I think that Hong ran a very, very great, and very strong, grassroots campaign, got a lot of people involved and I applaud her for that.”
Hong was ultimately defeated by Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, marking a significant win for establishment Democrats who doubted her ability to secure a general election victory in a key battleground. This defeat was a setback for the far left, overshadowing progressive Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan’s success in the Minnesota Senate race on the same night.
Cenk Uygur, a progressive activist and co-founder of the Young Turks and Justice Democrats, asserted that Sanders and other progressive leaders have a duty to guide candidates within the movement. He stated, “If they endorse people, it makes a difference. If they don’t endorse people these days, sometimes it makes a bigger difference. Because there’s a certain expectation, and when they don’t deliver on that expectation, it gives people pause. So it feels like, to some degree, they’re shirking their responsibility.”
Uygur also criticized Sanders for stating on a podcast before the primary that he was “not that familiar” with the Wisconsin race.
“I love Bernie, but that’s not true. Sorry, brother, but you have a giant team. Of course somebody on your team knows who’s running for governor in Wisconsin,” Uygur told POLITICO on Thursday.
A Democratic operative working on progressive campaigns, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also disputed Sanders’ claims, pointing out that he won Wisconsin’s presidential primary in 2016.
“He knows Wisconsin very well,” the operative said, adding: “What resources? You’re not cutting checks. [Sanders] endorsing somebody raises the money.”
During the interview, Sanders highlighted primary victories from Flanagan, Rebecca Cooke in Wisconsin’s 3rd District, and Matt Little in the race for Rep. Angie Craig’s Minnesota seat — all candidates he endorsed.
“Needless to say, I’m feeling really very good,” Sanders said. “The American people are catching on that we have an economy that is rigged, the very rich are getting richer while working families are struggling.”
The outcome of Wisconsin’s governor primary exposed a major vulnerability for a movement heavily reliant on Sanders and other prominent figures like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) to secure contentious races. Some progressives argue that they cannot afford to be selective about where they compete if they aim to challenge a well-funded establishment.
Sander’s movement, which gained momentum in 2016, now faces challenges in identifying a clear successor, leading to a perceived overreliance on Sanders and leaders like Ocasio-Cortez.
Our Revolution, a group that emerged from Sanders’ 2016 campaign but with which he no longer associates, criticized the broader progressive network for not supporting Hong more. As results showed Crowley set to defeat Hong, the group posted, “We cannot build progressive power while gatekeeping our own movement through the eyes of the establishment.”
Sanders responded: “Our Revolution is an organization I’ve not had any interaction with, any participation with … for I think nine years,” he said. “They do what they want and they say what they want. They have nothing to do with me.”
Our Revolution declined to comment on Sanders’ remarks and its post.
Nina Turner, a former leader of Our Revolution and co-chair of Sanders’ 2020 campaign, who supported Hong, suggested that backing from “more well-known, more popular, actively elected progressive types … probably would have” influenced the race. However, she refrained from specifically naming those who didn’t get involved.
“The progressive movement is going to have to reckon with how we continue to win around certain personalities,” Turner said. “I don’t think the movement should put all our hopes and dreams on certain personalities to come out or to not come out, because it is their choice and they have a right to their choice, even if I don’t agree with it.”
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), one of the few national progressive figures who endorsed Hong, has pursued a more aggressive endorsement strategy than Sanders this primary season. He sees benefits in supporting candidates early, as long as they align with his policy views, despite the challenges faced by underdog contenders.
Following the Wisconsin primary, Khanna avoided assigning blame, stating in a text: “We have so many candidates running and I believe progressive leaders have been doing an extraordinary job lifting them up.”
A spokesperson for Ocasio-Cortez, who also faced criticism for not endorsing Hong, declined to comment.
Not everyone on the left believes that Sanders and other progressive figures could have altered the race’s outcome, given the various challenges Hong faced, including minimal traditional advertising and negative press over past social media comments. Additionally, votes may have been split among several candidates, including two who withdrew after voting started: Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez and former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes.
Dillon Sheehan, the chapter secretary for the Madison Area Democratic Socialists of America, which supported Hong, remarked that while prominent progressives like Sanders might have “put her over the edge,” he emphasized the need for candidates to succeed without relying on Sanders’ endorsement, as he won’t always be available to endorse.
“I think what this shows is that even without his endorsement, without Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s endorsement, [Hong] did fantastic,” Sheehan said.
