Sanders, Perez hitting the road in unity tour

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez will hold rallies this month across the country in an effort to rally grassroots support for a 50-state party strategy.

The rallies follow a heated race for the DNC chairmanship in which Sanders backed Perez’s rival, Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.).

“At a time of massive income and wealth inequality and a shrinking middle class, we need a government which represents all Americans, not just Wall Street, multi-national corporations and the top 1 percent,” Sanders and Perez said in a joint statement.

{mosads}The two also called the failed Republican measures to repeal and replace ObamaCare “a disgraceful idea.”

Ellison during the race for the chairmanship was dubbed the progressive alternative, while Perez, who served as former President Barack Obama’s labor secretary, was seen as the establishment choice. Perez, upon winning the chairman post in February, immediately appointed Ellison to be his deputy.

Beginning April 17, Sanders and Perez will hit the trail in so-called “red” and “purple” states, including Kentucky, Maine, Florida, Utah, Montana, Nevada, Arizona and Nebraska.

Other leaders in the Democratic party will attend the rallies, where they will speak about issues ranging from the minimum wage to criminal justice and immigration reform.

News of the tour was first reported last week by The Washington Post.