Bernie Sanders (I-VT) appears to be the darling of the Hollywood elite, amassing more contributions from bigwigs in the entertainment industry than his rival Joe Biden (D).
Sanders has repeatedly railed against his competitors for attending big fundraisers, accepting help from super PACs, and taking money from billionaires. However, he has done little to address his own backing from the Hollywood elite.
While Pete Buttigieg (D), who dropped out of the race prior to Super Tuesday and subsequently backed Biden, originally led in Hollywood fundraising with $1.5 million, Sanders currently stands as the candidate with the greatest backing among entertainment giants. He has raised $1.4 million, compared to Biden, who raised less than one million, or $900,000, stemming from Hollywood.
The Vermont senator has received a flurry of support from giants in the music industry, some of whom have performed at his rallies. That includes The Strokes, Portugal. The Man, Vampire Weekend, and Bon Iver.
Other artists have publicly signaled support for Sanders, including Cardi B, Ariana Grande, and most recently, Hasley.
“Bernie has been fighting for me since before I was alive — a queer woman in a multi-racial family who was raised poor in an American suburb,” she said in an endorsement video released Tuesday.
“Bernie was fighting for me before I was even born, because that’s his philosophy—fight for somebody that you don’t know.” –@halsey pic.twitter.com/VtRGLCQflL
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) March 10, 2020
Across the board, high profile celebrities have endorsed Sanders, including comedian Sarah Silverman, actor Danny DeVito, and model Emily Ratajkowski. Legendary actor-singer-dancer Dick Van Dyke also endorsed Sanders and even stumped for him on the campaign trail.
The Emmy award-winning star warned in his formal endorsement video that four more years of Trump’s administration will result in the end of democracy as we know it.
“Another four years of the current administration and we won’t have a democracy anymore,” the 94 year old explained.
“Four more years of no concern about the climate. We must get him out of there. Democratic principles are flying out the window. He has assumed authority beyond what the president is allowed and he’s going to get worse,” he added.
“He never has changed his attack because of pressure from the outside or when he felt the wind was blowing another way. He stuck with who he is and what he believes." –Dick Van Dyke pic.twitter.com/j8bKHBlCkT
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) February 22, 2020
Despite his star-studded backing, Sanders has failed to keep up with his competitor in recent primary contests. His fall began on Super Tuesday, as Biden swept the south and took the lead in delegate totals. The March 10 primaries did not work in Sanders’ favor either, as he lost Missouri, Mississippi, and Michigan — the night’s biggest prize. The Vermont senator managed to eke out a win in Idaho, but the race in Washington had yet to be called as of Wednesday morning.
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