Stanley Rosenberg Is Backing Hillary Clinton for President, Still Likes Bernie Sanders

Rosenberg is one of the highest profile Democrats in the state to back the former secretary of state.

Get a compelling long read and must-have lifestyle tips in your inbox every Sunday morning — great with coffee!

Senate President Stanley Rosenberg joined the small but growing list of high profile Massachusetts Democrats officially onboard the Hillary Clinton Express on Tuesday when he disclosed his support for the former secretary of state on Boston Herald Radio.

“I am supporting her, much to the consternation of my district. They’re with Bernie, of course,” said Rosenberg, referencing the popularity of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders in western Massachusetts.

Rosenberg said he sent Clinton’s campaign a check though a Boston search of FEC contributor filings indicate the last federal donation he made was to former Congressman John Olver in 2010.

Rosenberg has not made a formal endorsement of Clinton but he does plan to doorknock for her in New Hampshire.

During the interview, the Amherst Democrat spoke of how his backing of Clinton over Sanders puts him out of step with his left leaning district. Rosenberg acknowledged his district is a good fit for the Vermont socialist because of its historic support for long shot liberal presidential candidates like Jesse Jackson and George McGovern. Rosenberg’s district is so liberal that its two largest communities, Amherst and Northampton, voted for Ralph Nader over George Bush in 2000.

Still, Rosenberg, the most liberal senate president in decades, is a fan of Sanders.

“He is moving the conversation in the direction it needs to move in nationally because he’s talking about income insecurity, he’s talking about the that fact 80 percent of the people go home with a paycheck that either doesn’t support their family no matter how hard they’re working or is not advancing their standard of living, including their ability to be able to help their kids get a college education,” Rosenberg said.

Other high profile Massachusetts Democrats backing Clinton include Attorney General Maura Healey, Treasurer Deborah Goldberg, and Congressmen Stephen Lynch and Joe Kennedy.

Listen to the entire interview below: