Sen. Bernie Sanders on Wednesday declined to endorse Wisconsin Democratic socialist Francesca Hong for governor, even though his own progressive organization, Our Revolution, has already thrown its full support behind her.
Appearing on Pod Save America, Sanders was pressed about whether he’d endorse Hong; his answer was a classic dodge: he barely knows Hong, she’s apparently ‘very, very nice,’ and he’s just not up to speed on the race. Translation: even Bernie has his limits when it comes to embracing the radical anti-Thanksgiving fringe.
Sanders added that his focus remains on congressional races and that he has largely stayed out of gubernatorial contests. Sanders has shown far more tolerance for other controversial progressive candidates. He endorsed and continued to stand by Maine Senate hopeful Graham Platner even after reports surfaced that Platner had long carried a tattoo resembling the Nazi SS Totenkopf symbol. Sanders dismissed the controversy, saying there were “one or two more important issues” and that he remained impressed with the candidate. That standard apparently did not extend to Hong.
The personal refusal stands in contrast to the formal endorsement issued by Our Revolution in June. The group, which grew out of Sanders’ presidential campaigns, praised Hong as a working-class fighter and pledged its support for her bid to become the nation’s first democratic-socialist governor.
Hong, the current frontrunner in the Aug. 11 Democratic primary, has spent recent days defending a series of past statements that include calls to cancel Thanksgiving, abolish the police, and describe the service industry as rooted in white supremacy. Those controversies have drawn national attention in the final week before voters head to the polls.
Sanders’ decision not to attach his name to the race, while his political network continues to back Hong, leaves a noticeable gap between the senator and the candidate his movement has elevated.
