Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) endorsed former Rep. Tom Perriello in the Virginia governor's race. | Getty Bernie Sanders endorses Perriello for Virginia governor

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders has endorsed Tom Perriello in the Virginia governor's race, the first major national endorsement for the former congressman ahead of his Democratic primary against Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam.

Sanders' backing could bring media attention and small-donor money to Perriello. Public polling has shown Perriello and Northam tied so far, but neither is well-known and the TV advertising blitz ahead of the June primary has not yet begun.


"We need to elect progressives at every level of government if we are going to beat back the dangerous agenda of the Trump Administration and its Republican allies. Now more than ever we need people in elected office who will fight for middle-income and working families," Sanders said in a statement on Tuesday. "That’s why I am so pleased today to endorse Tom Perriello for Governor of Virginia."

Perriello so far has resisted direct comparisons to Sanders' insurgent campaign, which lost Virginia to Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary by nearly 30 percentage points.

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"Bernie Sanders has spent his career fighting for working families against a rigged system," Perriello said in a statement. "We need to unite the Democratic Party behind an agenda of inclusive economic growth, that leaves no community, race, or region behind."

