Bernie Sanders reveals his decision on the 2024 presidential bid

NEW YORK (AP) — Sen. bernie sanders of Vermont said Tuesday that he would drop another presidential bid of his own and would instead endorse the president. Joe Bidenthe re-election of

The progressive leader, who was Biden’s main rival in the 2020 Democratic presidential primaryhe told The Associated Press that he would “do everything possible to get the president re-elected.”

“The last thing this country needs is a donald trump or some other right-wing demagogue who will try to undermine American democracy or take away a woman’s right to choose, or fail to address the crisis of gun violence, racism, sexism or homophobia,” Sanders said in an interview. “So I’m here to do what I can to make sure the president gets re-elected.”

Biden announced his decision Tuesday to seek a second term, even as polls suggest that voters of both parties do not want him to run again. The Democratic president will face the winner of the crowded Republican primary, which features former President Donald Trump and half a dozen low-profile conservatives.

For much of the year, Sanders had left open the possibility of running again. On Tuesday, he said he would not run and discouraged other high-profile progressive candidates from running.

His decision suggests that the progressive wing of the Democratic party he will ultimately unify behind Biden’s 2024 candidacy, even if progressives aren’t enthusiastic about him.

“People will do whatever they want to do,” Sanders said of other potential primary challenges. “I think Joe Biden will be the Democratic nominee. And my job, and I think the job of the progressive movement, is to make sure that they stand up and fight for the working class of this country and that they don’t take anything for granted.”

Sanders’ decision also signals that, at 81, he will never seek the presidency again.

The silver-haired Democratic socialist with the thick Brooklyn accent emerged as a leading progressive voice in the 2016 presidential race and was poised to clinch the presidential nomination in 2020 before his rivals rallied behind Biden’s bid.

Stepping down from another presidential run of his own, Sanders said he would continue to fight for progressive policies as chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, as well as help form new unions.

“Running for president was a wonderful privilege,” Sanders said. “I really enjoyed it and I hope we have had some impact on the nature of American politics. But right now, my job is to do what I can as chair of the committee (Health, Education, Labor and Pensions), to see Biden re-elected, and to see what I can do to help transform politics in America to help protect the needs. of workers.”

He said it was too early to say what specific role he would play in helping Biden win re-election in 2024.