Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersMcConnell accuses Democrats of sowing division by 'downplaying progress' on election security The Hill's Campaign Report: Arizona shifts towards Biden | Biden prepares for drive-in town hall | New Biden ad targets Latino voters Why Democrats must confront extreme left wing incitement to violence MORE (I-Vt.) on Saturday congratulated former Labor Secretary Tom Perez on becoming the new chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC).



"I congratulate Tom Perez on his election as chairman of the Democratic National Committee and look forward to working with him," Sanders said in a statement.



"At a time when Republicans control the White House, the U.S. House, U.S. Senate and two-thirds of all statehouses, it is imperative that Tom understands that the same-old, same-old is not working and that we must open the doors of the party to working people and young people in a way that has never been done before," the lawmaker added.



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Sanders was one of the most prominent backers of Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), Perez's top rival for the top DNC position.



After failing to meet the threshold required to win the first vote, Perez secured the chairmanship by receiving 235 votes on the second ballot, with 218 votes needed to win a majority.

In his first motion as DNC chair, Perez announced Ellison as his deputy.

In his statement, Sanders maintained that it is time for the Democrats to "stand up to the 1 percent" and advance progressive values.



"Now, more than ever, the Democratic Party must make it clear that it is prepared to stand up to the 1 percent and lead this country forward in the fight for social, racial, economic and environmental justice," he said.