Justice Democrats back Sanders in 2020 race

Justice Democrats, which famously recruited Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.) as a primary challenger in 2018, has endorsed Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) for president.

Sanders “has the vision to unite and govern America in this time of crisis,” Alexandra Rojas, executive director of Justice Democrats, told Politico, adding “there is no question that if Bernie Sanders had not run for president in 2016, organizations like Justice Democrats would not exist.”

“Over the past four years, he has galvanized a movement that made ‘Medicare for All,’ a Green New Deal, free public college, ending mass incarceration and deportation, confronting skyrocketing inequality, and rejecting corporate money into mainstream positions in the Democratic Party,” she said.

The progressive organization, unlike numerous others on the left flank of the party, declined to make an endorsement while both Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) were in the race, praising both before Warren ended her campaign last week.

The group has previously sponsored digital ads criticizing former Vice President Joe Biden and former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Politico noted.

“In daring us to connect with the pain of the diverse working class of this country and to fight for solutions that match the scale of the problems we face, Bernie and millions of his grassroots supporters from across the country have transformed the Democratic Party and our nation,” Rojas said.