Sanders Defends Limited Endorsements as Progressives Criticize Absence in Wisconsin Race

In a recent interview, Senator Bernie Sanders explained that limited resources force his team to be selective about endorsements, praising Francesca Hong’s grassroots campaign even though she was defeated in Wisconsin’s governor primary by Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. The narrow margin, under 4,000 votes, prompted criticism from progressive leaders who argue that Sanders’ backing could have supplied essential resources.

Activist Cenk Uygur and former Our Revolution co-chair Nina Turner said the senator has a responsibility to influence races, while a Democratic operative highlighted Sanders’ familiarity with Wisconsin politics from his 2016 presidential primary win. Sanders pointed to recent primary victories for other candidates he endorsed and dismissed the notion that he could endorse every contender. Other progressives such as Ro Khanna, who did endorse Hong, and the office of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez declined comment, underscoring an internal debate over reliance on high-profile endorsements.