Sen. Bernie Sanders says he does not expect to endorse Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong ahead of the state’s Democratic primary. In an interview on the “Pod Save America” podcast, Sanders was asked about whether he would back Hong and responded, “I don’t think so.” He also said he has met Hong previously, but he indicated he is not planning an endorsement. The comment comes less than a week before the Wisconsin primary, according to one report.
A separate outlet reports that Sanders’ remarks reflect his lack of expectation of an endorsement, and notes that the statement drew reaction from Republican-aligned accounts. Those reactions pointed to Sanders’ history of supporting candidates they describe as more contentious, though the reports agree on the central point: Sanders does not anticipate endorsing Hong before the primary. Both accounts present the endorsement question as unresolved until Sanders’ public comments, and they situate his stance in the final days leading up to the vote.
