PA-05: Bernie Sanders Endorses Philly Deputy Mayor Rich Lazer (D) In The Democratic Primary

More news today out of Pennsylvania:

Democrat Rich Lazer, a candidate in Pennsylvania’s Fifth Congressional District, just got a big endorsement: Sen. Bernie Sanders.

“Rich believes, as I do, that health care is a right, that free public education should extend through college, and that solving the student debt crisis is an urgent necessity,” said Sanders in a statement. “Rich will be a consistent voice for a bold, progressive agenda and will fight to create a government and an economy that works for us, not just wealthy corporate interests.”

Lazer supports a $15 minimum wage, Medicare-for-All and free college, all issues that Sanders campaigned on during his 2016 presidential run.

“This is an honor for me,” said Lazer, the former deputy mayor of labor under Mayor Kenney. “I think we see things through the same lens … how things should be working for working families.”

Lazer has won the support of several labor unions, and one of his biggest backers is John “Johnny Doc” Dougherty, the powerful and controversial leader of the city’s electricians union. A super PAC for Lazer was launched by Dougherty.

The Middle Class PAC has spent nearly $1 million on pro-Lazer TV advertising that will air through Monday, according to a source familiar with ad buys in the area. That dwarfs the amount of money that any individual campaign has spent broadcasting TV spots. Ballard Spahr attorney Mary Gay Scanlon has paid about $515,000 for TV advertising, while former U.S. assistant attorney Ashley Lunkenheimer has spent about $498,000.

Click here to donate and get involved with Lazer’s campaign.