Bernie Sanders Receives Two More Major Endorsements

Less than a week away from the much-anticipated New York primary, Bernie Sanders has scored two more major endorsements that could greatly help him in the upcoming race.

NYC’s @TWULocal100 — legendary union local with 38K members working subways, bus lines — endorses @BernieSanders. pic.twitter.com/MyCXSJEFHE

— John Nichols (@NicholsUprising) April 13, 2016

The first is the Transit Workers Union Local 100, a hugely powerful New York City union. 38,000 of them operate, maintain and repair the NYC Transit bus and subway network. The Executive Board voted with an overwhelming majority of 42-1 to endorse Sanders.

In 2005 the TWU Local 100 participated in a citywide strike that essentially shut down the cit’s economy. 72 percent of city residents supported the strike, showing just has much support and reputation the union has with the people of New York.

TWU Local 100 represents 42,000 workers. President of union, John Samuelsen, announced, ““In Bernie Sanders, we see a kindred spirit. Bernie Sanders has been fighting against the ‘powers that be’ in this country on behalf of all American workers his entire life. That’s what this country needs. That’s what American workers need. A true champion of our cause!”

Sanders accepted the endorsement in person from his hometown of Brooklyn.

The second major endorsement for Sanders is his first Senate endorser, Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley. Merkley publicly endorsed Sanders in a New York Times op-ed.

Merkley specifically mentioned Sanders positions on trade deals, fossil fuels and campaign finance reform.

The Senator says that Bernie is a “determine leader in taking on the concentration of campaign cash from the mega-wealthy that is corrupting the vision of opportunity embedded in our Constitution.”

Although Merkley believes that Hillary Clinton would be a “strong and capable president” he believes that Bernie is “boldly and fiercely addressing the biggest challenges facing our country.”