Progressive activist Zephyr Teachout endorses Bernie Sanders

Zephyr Teachout, a progressive activist and Fordham Law School professor, endorsed Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Friday, saying he is committed to “getting billionaires and corporations out of the way of democracy.”

“Bernie Sanders has built an extraordinary multi-class, multi-race movement grounded in community and compassion,” Teachout said in a statement to The Hill. “He’s showing us that together, we can beat back the corruption of billionaires, beat the reckless profiteering of corporations, and beat Donald Trump.”

Teachout, who has run unsuccessfully for a House seat and to be New York’s attorney general, supported Sanders in the 2016 presidential race as well.

That same year, Sanders backed Teachout in her House bid. Two years later he endorsed her in the attorney general’s race, which she eventually lost to Letitia James.

“Sanders is totally committed to changing the way we fund campaigns, getting billionaires and corporations out of the way of democracy,” Teachout tweeted Friday.

HuffPost first reported Teachout’s endorsement of Sanders.

Teachout is the latest progressive leader to throw her support behind Sanders over rival Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).

Three members of “the squad” — Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.), Ilhan Omar (Minn.) and Rashida Tlaib (Mich.) — backed Sanders earlier this year. Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) is supporting Warren.

National polls consistently show Sanders in second place among Democratic presidential candidates, according to a RealClearPolitics average. Former Vice President Joe Biden leads the crowded field of White House hopefuls.