The New York Observer (a somewhat upscale, small circulation, weekly tabloid with a robust online presence [2mm+ visits per month]) has published a news item in the past couple of hours indicating that the Working Families Party is giving serious consideration to endorsing the Democratic presidential candidacy of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.
But, when you read the fine print in the story, below, you’ll see this is nowhere close to a done deal, since: a.) the WFP, apparently, won’t make an endorsement until early 2016; and, believe it or not, b.) Bernie may have some issues just getting on the ballot in the New York State Democratic Primary next year.
Working Families Party Considers Backing Bernie Sanders for President
By Ross Barkan
Observer.com
06/10/15 11:49pm
The Working Families Party is starting to feel the Bern.
The left-leaning party, a hybrid of labor unions and liberal activists, is now considering supporting Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders for president after Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat, made it clear she would not run.
“Senator Sanders is justifiably generating a lot of enthusiasm,” Bill Lipton, the New York State director of the WFP, told the Observer. “Our presidential process will get started next year, but in the meantime his willingness to speak the truth about inequality and the concentration of economic power is contributing to the debate that America needs to have.”
Mr. Sanders, an independent and self-identified socialist who caucuses with Democrats, is generating grassroots enthusiasm with his uphill challenge of Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state. In polls and fundraising, Ms. Clinton is the overwhelming front-runner, but some progressives are hunting for an alternative choice.
The WFP had urged Ms. Warren to run for president in February…
…
…In New York State, Mr. Sanders would require the muscle of the WFP to compete with Ms. Clinton, a former New York senator. Since Mr. Sanders is not a registered Democrat, he will need the permission of the State Democratic Party to run on the Democratic line here. The party, led by a staunch Clinton ally in former Gov. David Paterson, may not be willing to do Mr. Sanders any favors…
All of the above being said, the WFP has been known in recent years to sometimes opt to support status quo Democratic candidates against more progressive opponents in select political races, with the 2014 NY State gubernatorial primary between Andrew Cuomo and Zephyr Teachout being the most recent example of that strategy (much to the chagrin of many Kossacks, and Democrats elsewhere). And, I'm sure that the WFP's decision to support Sanders will hinge upon his performance over the next six-plus months, as well.
Just four months ago, however (per Wikipedia):
…In February, Edwin Gomes was elected to District 23 of the Connecticut State Senate in a special election. He became the first candidate in the nation to win a state legislative office running solely as a nominee for the Working Families Party.[9] Gomes defeated Richard DeJesus (D), Quentin Dreher (R), and the non-affiliated Charles Hare and Kenneth H. Moales, Jr. in the special election on February 24. However, Senator Gomes previously served the district as State Senator as a Democrat and caucuses with the Democrats upon assuming office…
With a national headquarters in New York City, Wikipedia notes that the WFP has…
…active chapters in New York, Connecticut, and Oregon, and it is growing, with initiatives in South Carolina, Delaware, and Vermont,[2] and offshoots in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.[3][4]…
…
…Some of the party's most prominent endorsed candidates include US Senators Chris Murphy (CT) and Jeff Merkley (OR), New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy, and New York City Public Advocate Letitia James…
WIKIPEDIA FOOTNOTES:
2WFP in Other States
3Pennsylvania gets its First Working Families Party office holder, Ballot-Access.org, 7/1/11
4School activists: Get rid of the SRC, Philly.com, 5/28/14
9Former state Sen. Gomes reclaims Senate seat, Connecticut Post, 2/24/15
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