It has been two years since Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders (I) shook up the Democratic Party with his grassroots movement, but there is growing concern that his "revolution" no longer has the legs to impart real political change, Politico reports in a dissection of Our Revolution.
While the organization does not have formal ties to Sanders, the senator's supporters and operatives formed Our Revolution after he lost the primary to Hillary Clinton as a way to keep up the momentum of the progressive movement. Yet with a leadership crisis — some say the president, Nina Turner, is using the group as a vehicle to get her own exposure ahead of a 2020 presidential run — and a shaky record of transparency and successful endorsements, some believe that Our Revolution is so weak that it could even hurt Sanders by mere association.
Sanders did personally have a significant win recently in Pennsylvania, where he endorsed Braddock Mayor John Fetterman in the lieutenant governor's race. Our Revolution, however, did not back Fetterman, nor did it back the progressive Nebraska candidate Kara Eastman, who won her race against centrist Rep. Brad Ashford (D).
Sanders' 2016 campaign manager, Jeff Weaver, defended Our Revolution, telling Politico that the group "is doing a phenomenal job around the country, helping energize the grassroots, and helping to democratize the Democratic Party." Read more of the criticism of the group, and how it could potentially drag Sanders down, at Politico.