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Bernie Sanders endorses Helen Gym for Philly mayor

The backing from Sanders, an independent, comes two days after Helen Gym won another high-profile endorsement from U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

In this 2020 file photo, Helen Gym, then a City Councilmember, speaks during a Bernie Sanders supporters Democratic debate watch party at Underground Arts in the Callowhill neighborhood of Philadelphia. This week, he endorsed her run for mayor.
In this 2020 file photo, Helen Gym, then a City Councilmember, speaks during a Bernie Sanders supporters Democratic debate watch party at Underground Arts in the Callowhill neighborhood of Philadelphia. This week, he endorsed her run for mayor.Read more
    by Anna Orso
    Updated 
    Published 

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, a former presidential candidate and one of the leaders of the nation’s progressive movement, on Wednesday dove into the Philadelphia mayor’s race and endorsed Helen Gym.

The backing from Sanders, an independent, comes two days after Gym won a high-profile endorsement from U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and is another indication that Gym occupies a clear lane as the progressive ahead of the May 16 Democratic primary election.

» READ MORE: Your no-nonsense guide to Philly’s 2023 Democratic primary for mayor, Council, and row offices

Sanders tweeted to his 15 million Twitter followers that Gym, a former member of City Council, is a “fighter for working families,” saying she has “fought for strong public education, legislation to protect tenants’ rights, and health care for all.”

In a statement, Gym recalled standing alongside Sanders in 2019 to rally against the closure of Hahnemann University Hospital, saying, “Like Bernie, I have always believed that health care, affordable housing, quality public education, and real economic opportunity are a right, not a privilege.”

Sanders’ endorsement adds another layer of progressive support to Gym’s campaign, and his backing could help Gym’s efforts to get out the vote in the final two weeks of campaigning. The race for the Mayor’s Office appears neck-and-neck between as many as five top contenders, according to a recent poll.

The Vermont senator often dips into state or local races outside his home state in order to back left-leaning candidates. In March, he endorsed Brandon Johnson for Chicago mayor. Johnson last month won a runoff election against against Paul Vallas, a moderate Democrat who ran the Philadelphia School District.

Gym in 2020 endorsed Sanders’ run for president ahead of the Democratic primary. She later backed Joe Biden for president and said last month that she supports Biden’s reelection campaign.

Several other mayoral candidates have amassed support from elected officials of different political persuasions.

Cherelle Parker, a former City Council member, is backed by a bevy of local elected officials, including two members of Congress and Council President Darrell L. Clarke, as well as a number of labor unions that are closely aligned with the Democratic Party.

Rebecca Rhynhart, the former city controller, has been endorsed by three former mayors.