Bernie Sanders is throwing his weight behind Kim Foxx, the Cook County state’s attorney who is facing several primary challengers after a first term that has been simultaneously celebrated by progressives and come under fire nationally for her handling of actor Jussie Smollett’s case.

Sanders’ campaign told POLITICO he is also endorsing Kane County, Ill. state’s attorney candidate Junaid Afeef, Travis County, Texas, district attorney candidate Jose Garza, and Harris County, Texas, district attorney candidate Audia Jones.


The endorsements are in keeping with the Vermont senator’s attempts to position himself as the most progressive presidential candidate on criminal justice policy, with a platform that includes banning cash bail, legalizing marijuana, and permitting “safe injection sites” where people can use illegal drugs under the supervision of medical professionals. In October, he endorsed now-San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin, who campaigned on getting rid of cash bail.

“I’m proud to endorse these progressive leaders for the important offices of state and district attorney,” Sanders said in a statement. “Now is the moment to fundamentally transform our racist and broken criminal justice system by ending mass incarceration, the failed war on drugs and the criminalization of poverty, and that’s exactly what they’ll do.”

The moves come two weeks before South Carolina’s primary, where black voters will cast a majority of ballots. Nearly nine out of 10 African-American adults say the criminal justice system is racially biased, according to the Pew Research Center.

"I am honored today to have the endorsement of Sen. Sanders,” Foxx said. “When I first ran four years ago on a platform that included a holistic approach to criminal justice reform, it was different than what previous prosecutors had ever attempted. Since in office, we've implemented bond and cannabis reform, we're leading the country in vacating wrongful convictions and funneling more resources toward violent crimes to keep communities safe.”


Progressives have applauded Foxx, who campaigned on transforming Cook County’s criminal justice system, for declining to prosecute numerous low-level drug offenses and embracing alternative treatment programs.

But Foxx also drew criticism when the state’s attorney’s office dropped charges against Smollett after police accused him of staging a racist and homophobic attack by alleged supporters of President Trump. The office argued the actor wasn’t a threat to the public. A special prosecutor announced new charges against Smollett just this week, which Foxx’s campaign decried as “James Comey-like timing.”

Sanders’ left-wing rival, Elizabeth Warren, has also endorsed Foxx, along with Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Illinois Sens. Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin.

