For the second time in a week, a progressive leader on Capitol Hill threw his support behind Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-Vt.) presidential campaign.
Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) announced in a statement released on Monday that he would be endorsing the democratic socialist candidate.
Ellison’s backing means that Sanders has now earned the endorsement from both co-chairs of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton still leads Sanders by a wide margin, in terms of political endorsements. According to FiveThirtyEight, Clinton has garnered 153 backers among lawmakers and governors. The progressive caucus’ other leader, Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.), last week became the first elected official to formally endorse Sanders.
The two leading candidates and former Senate colleagues will face off Tuesday evening in Las Vegas for the first Democratic debate of the primary season.
