Senator Bernie Sanders has landed a coveted endorsement during his first rally after he suffered a heart attack. During the event in Queens on Saturday, Sanders brought out congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who publicly endorsed Sanders in front of 26,000 supporters, the biggest crowd for any Democratic candidate this year.
“When I was a child that relied on CHIP so that I could see a doctor, Bernie Sanders fought for a single-payer health care system,” she told the crowd. “When the federal government decided to discriminate and abandon my queer family and friends, Bernie Sanders was putting his career on the line for us.”
Sanders has also received support from Representative Ilhan Omar and is expected to gain the endorsement of Representative Rashida Tlaib, according to a source.
“They are the symbol of the diversity the senator has always had, but not gotten credit for,” Nina Turner, Sanders’ campaign co-chair, told Politico.
It’s a much-needed endorsement for Sanders, who has currently been struggling in the polls behind current-leader, Senator Elizabeth Warren. His latest health scare brought more problems to his campaign, with many wondering if his health would cause future problems during his run, something he addressed to his supporters on Saturday.
“I am more than ready to take on the greed and corruption of the corporate elite and their apologists. And I am more ready than ever to create a government based on the principles of justice,” he said. “To put it bluntly, I am back.”