Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’ endorsement paid off for Tim Canova in a big way.
Canova, the primary opponent of Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz in her Florida congressional race, formally picked up Sanders’ support late last week and reportedly raised $225,000 as a result.
Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver penned a fundraising email urging supporters on Sunday to donate to help Wasserman Schultz’s opponent, which boosted Canova’s fundraising total even more.
“Proud to have Bernie Sanders’ support,” Canova said, acknowledging the news on Twitter. “Together, we are building a coalition that will unrig our political system.”
Weaver’s fundraising email noted that contributions would be split between Canova and Sanders’ campaign, which would help ensure a progressive takeover in 2016.
“The political revolution is not just about electing a president,” Weaver wrote in the fundraising pitch. “We need a Congress with members who believe, like Bernie, that we cannot change a corrupt system by taking its money.”
Wasserman Schultz’s primary battle in Florida has become the latest scene of the ongoing war between the Sanders campaign and the DNC chair. The two sides have long argued about whether Wasserman Schultz’s actions were aimed at preventing Sanders’ rise.
