Sanders fundraising for Russ Feingold

[think]

Sanders fundraising for Russ Feingold

By NICK GASS 05/26/16 09:09 AM EDT

Bernie Sanders wants Russ Feingold back in the Senate with him and is fundraising on behalf of the Wisconsin Democrat in his bid to unseat incumbent Republican Ron Johnson, his campaign announced Thursday.

“We are going to have to elect candidates up and down the ballot who recognize that it is too late for establishment politics and economics,” Sanders wrote. “Candidates like my friend, former U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold. Russ led the fight with me to make the Affordable Care Act much stronger in 2009. He voted against the USA PATRIOT Act and the war in Iraq. He authored and passed landmark campaign finance reform legislation and his campaign is powered by small-dollar contributions like ours.”

Sanders has also sent out fundraising appeals on behalf of congressional candidates in Nevada, New York and Washington, and in Florida to Tim Canova, the primary challenger to Democratic National Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, with whom the Sanders campaign has quarreled over various issues throughout the cycle. On Tuesday, Sanders issued a similar call for candidates running in state races.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/05/bernie-sanders-russ-feingold-223603#ixzz4B1S38uLI

[tonyt53]

1. One (1). It will take at least six seats to flip the Senate, otherwise nothing will get done.

Why hasn't Bernie helped other candidates for the Senate? The House can't flip until after the 2020 census.

[MattP]

2. Politco said last night he refused to help Russ because he wouldnt endorse him

So

[brooklynite]

4. No, Politico said Feingold was the ONLY Senate candidate he supported...

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid’s call was part advice, part asking a favor, urging Sanders to use his now massive email list to help Democratic Senate candidates. Russ Feingold in Wisconsin was the most obvious prospect, and Reid wanted to make introductions to Iowa’s Patty Judge and North Carolina’s Deborah Ross—to help Democrats win the majority, but also to give Sanders allies in making himself the leader of the Senate progressives come next year.

Reid, according to people familiar with the conversation, ended the discussion thinking Sanders was on board. He backed Feingold. But that’s the last anyone heard.

Word got back to Reid’s team that Weaver had nixed the idea, ruling out backing anyone who hadn’t endorsed Sanders. Weaver says it’s because the Senate hopefuls had to get in line for Sanders’ support behind top backers like Gabbard and Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.)—though neither has a competitive race this year.

[MineralMan]

3. Good. I'll be donating to the Feingold campaign, myself.

But I'll be doing it directly to his campaign, with a note asking for his continuing support of Hillary Clinton. I encourage everyone to do the same thing. We need more Senators like Russ Feingold.

[TwilightZone]

5. Feingold is a gem

We need about 20 more of him in the Senate.