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Sen. Bernie Sanders urged voters to donate to Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman’s re-election campaign in an email this week.

“David is in a tough race. Can you make a $27 donation?” the subject line read in the email.

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Sanders backed the incumbent lieutenant governor in an email sent out by the Zuckerman campaign Thursday, which appeared in inboxes from “Senator Bernie Sanders.” It’s the first time Sanders has lent his support to a Vermont office candidate this election cycle.

The independent senator’s support of Zuckerman isn’t a surprise — the two politicians’ relationship dates back decades, and their platforms include many of the same progressive initiatives. Zuckerman worked on Sanders’ U.S. House campaign in 1992. Sanders was first elected to Congress in 1990.

“I am proud of the work David is doing as Vermont’s lieutenant governor, fighting for issues that we all care about – and engaging many Vermonters in the political process,” Sanders wrote in the email. “We need leaders like him who fight for what is best for all of us, not just the wealthy and corporations.”

The email features two photos of Sanders and Zuckerman together — one dated this year, and one from 1994.

Zuckerman said he asked Sanders for the statement of support.

“The reason this race is likely going to be harder than people expect is, as Republicans have indicated clearly, this is their target race,” Zuckerman said.

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Zuckerman said the race has the potential to attract investors from outside of the state who want to see a Republican take the office.

House Minority Leader Don Turner, who has served in the Legislature representing Milton for more than a decade, is challenging Zuckerman.

In 2016, Zuckerman was among the Vermont candidates Sanders, then a presidential candidate for the Democratic nomination, plugged through his expansive campaign email list. Zuckerman said it was difficult to quantify the financial impact of the endorsement. As to whether Sanders would promote the lieutenant governor on his email list again this election cycle, Zuckerman couldn’t say.

“I don’t know what the future holds with that regard,” he said.

State Sen. Chris Pearson, P-Chittenden, another Sanders acolyte, got a boost of $80,000 from an email sent by the U.S. senator that generated donations from 12,000 contributors in 2016. In the primary that year Pearson cruised to victory along with four Democratic incumbent senators who represent Chittenden County.

Sanders’ Senate campaign spokesperson Shannon Jackson said the senator “really believes” in Zuckerman.

“It was a no-brainer that we would endorse,” Jackson said.

Jackson also said the race for Vermont’s No. 2 executive spot, a part-time position, could attract considerable resources from the GOP. He wasn’t aware of any particular efforts so far, “but I think it’s best to be prepared.”

“There’s a large chance that the Republicans could target this race,” he said.

For Turner, Sanders’ support for Zuckerman came as no surprise.

“I don’t know what that will mean for the race, but it is something we are aware of. We saw the email,” Turner said.

He said that his campaign would reach out to supporters and investors to make them aware that Sanders is lending his name to Zuckerman’s fundraising efforts.

Turner was not aware of any efforts by the GOP or outside investors to target the race in his support. He said he was focused on making Vermonters aware of his record.

“It is going to be a competitive race I believe,” Turner said.

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Middlebury political science professor emeritus Eric Davis said characterizing the lieutenant governor’s race as “tough” is “standard rhetoric.”

“Candidates always say that,” Davis said. “Bernie would say his own re-election is a tough race.”

A Morning Consult poll released in April found Sanders to be the most popular U.S. senator in his state, with a 72 percent approval rating.

Davis is watching to see how much time Sanders spends stumping with state level candidates here in Vermont. His efforts on the ground here could have a big impact for House candidates, for instance, he said.

However, he said, Sanders will be in demand in races across the nation.

“There’s going to be candidates all over the country that want Bernie to campaign in their district,” he said.

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