Down Ballot, Things Are Looking Up

[David Zuckerman] got involved in electoral politics in 1992, while a student at the University of Vermont. Two years earlier, [Bernie Sanders] had won Vermont's single U.S. House seat as an Independent. "I was cynical about the two-party system of our electoral arena," says Zuckerman, "and it was Bernie who actually inspired me to engage in the political process." In early August, Sanders endorsed Zuckerman for the No. 2 seat in the state. "David is one of the outstanding members of the legislature," said Sanders, adding that Zuckerman "has earned a reputation as a fighter who is not afraid to stand up to the big money interests." Like Sanders-and unlike his two opponents-Zuckerman refused to take corporate campaign contributions. Two statistics are telling: According to Berniecrats.net's tally, 59 percent of Berniecrats are not incumbents, and 17 percent are first-time candidates. That means that Berniecrats include not just progressive politicians taking up Sanders' mantle, but also political outsiders heeding Sanders' callto-revolution. Since June, some 11,000 Sanders supporters have signed up to run for office or volunteer for Sanders supporters who do. The pool of support for progressive challengers will grow as groups like the Sanders campaign's new down-ballot operation, Our Revolution (see "Whose Revolution?", page 32), Brand New Congress, People's Action, MoveOn.org, Working Families Party and Democracy for America ramp up operations.