The Young Turks founder Cenk Uygur is running for Congress in California and yesterday he received an official endorsement from Bernie Sanders — an endorsement that has now been retracted.

Sanders said in a statement, “I’m endorsing Cenk because I know he will serve ordinary people, not powerful special interests. He is a voice that we desperately need in Congress & will be a great representative for CA-25 and the country.”

Since Uygur announced his candidacy for the seat held by former Congresswoman Katie Hill, he’s faced criticism for comments he’s made about women, while Sanders has been criticized by some liberals for the endorsement. Per the Washington Post:

Sen. Bernie Sanders’s endorsement of Cenk Uygur, a Democrat running for Congress in California, is prompting a backlash from some in the party who say they are troubled by Uygur’s explicit and demeaning comments about women in past years… The Wrap, an entertainment news website, previously unearthed blog posts Uygur wrote years ago, including one in 2000 that said: “Obviously, the genes of women are flawed. They are poorly designed creatures who do not want to have sex nearly as often as needed for the human race to get along peaceably and fruitfully.” Other comments were more graphic, and as recently as 2013, Uygur posted crass commentary on Twitter about women’s bodies.

Today Uygur tweeted he’s grateful for the support from Sanders and others, but said, “I want to be free of any influence other than the voters of CA-25. I will not be beholden to corporations, lobbyists, or special interest groups and I will not stand by while those groups attack my political allies. That’s why I have decided that I will not be accepting any endorsements.”

I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the endorsements of Bernie Sanders, Ro Khanna, Nina Turner & local progressive groups that gave me their support. Their stance took real courage in the face of the corporate media and Democratic establishment onslaught. I want to be free— — Cenk Uygur (@cenkuygur) December 13, 2019

of any influence other than the voters of CA-25. I will not be beholden to corporations, lobbyists, or special interest groups and I will not stand by while those groups attack my political allies. That’s why I have decided that I will not be accepting any endorsements. — Cenk Uygur (@cenkuygur) December 13, 2019

My job is to represent the voters and the voters alone. The only endorsements I’ll be accepting going forward is that of the voters of CA-25. -Cenk — Cenk Uygur (@cenkuygur) December 13, 2019

And now Sanders has officially retracted his endorsement, citing not just Uygur’s statement but what he’s heard from “frustrated” supporters:

.@cenkuygur has been a longtime fighter against corruption. However, our movement is bigger than any one person. I hear my supporters who were frustrated and understand their concerns. Cenk today said he is rejecting all endorsements for his campaign and I retract my endorsement. — Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) December 13, 2019

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