I proudly worked for Bernie Sanders in both the 2016 and 2020 presidential primary campaigns because I believed in him and his vision – one of opportunity. I served in several states in senior roles, working side by side with activists, volunteers and staff. During the 2020 presidential primary campaign, I was diagnosed with cancer and thankfully beat it. I finished chemotherapy in the spring of 2020, as COVID-19 began to sweep across the globe. Like many of you, I sat on my couch and watched the news coverage nonstop. Immunocompromised from treatment and worried about what the future held, it became clear that leadership matters in times of crisis.
Today, Bernie is proudly standing with President Biden for re-election. The president has been a tireless champion for working families and has implemented some of the core elements of Bernie’s agenda such as taming prescription drug costs, addressing climate change and tackling inflation. It is imperative for progressives, who are committed to this agenda, to join Senator Sanders in his support of Joe Biden for reelection.
In the spring of 2015, Bernie Sanders entered the presidential election and was initially met with scoffs. Bernie prescribed bold policy solutions to address the needs of working people like Medicare for All, a $15 an hour minimum wage, easier access for workers to unionize and calling on the rich to pay their fair share. It was clear through his several primary victories, record breaking fundraising and unprecedented volunteer activism, that millions around the country agreed with his vision. However, his long term impact has been framing the policy agenda.
It has been disheartening to see some progressive leaders, including alumni of the 2016 and 2020 Sanders campaigns work against President Biden’s bid for re-election. This irresponsible behavior is damaging to the progressive cause and questions their commitment to advancing policies that help working families. Third party candidacies and fringe primary challengers only serve to work against our shared goals. The message to those progressives wavering in their support is threefold:
First, the system – while imperfect – works. Primary campaigns are designed to be the forum to discuss issues and policy options. We have successfully done this as a party. From climate action, to infrastructure and student loan forgiveness, our party leaders heard the voices of our voters and activists loud and clear. President Biden has worked with Senator Sanders and other congressional leaders to chart a course to address these issues.
Second, a vote against Biden is a vote for Trump. The math is clear, Donald Trump remains the prohibitive front runner in the GOP primary and a rematch of 2020 is all but assured. The needs of working people will be on the ballot, it is clear that Joe Biden is best suited to deliver on the agenda that will best serve them – not Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.
Third, remember the stakes. Every election year candidates and pundits proclaim this election “the most important election of your life.” Our next presidential election truly is just that. Joe Biden represents the best of what we have to offer, his commitment to the people of this country is second to none. He will continue to work to ensure that our government will act in their best interest and support the institutions that have served us for generations. Trump and MAGA Republicans are committed to tearing down our institutions and jeopardizing the integrity of our democracy.
In 2020 we were a country in need of strong leadership and a president who knows what it’s like to experience loss and fight for true progressive values. That’s why we elected Joe Biden.
Joe Caiazzo is a Partner at The JCN Group and has over a decade of experience in politics, including senior roles on the presidential campaigns of Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton. He is a veteran of numerous campaigns including Sheldon Whitehouse, Elizabeth Warren, and Joe Kennedy III.