Mother Jones' Bernie Sanders' Secret Weapon in New York
Apologies if this has already been posted but I didn't see it. This is important and unique to NY politics.
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/04/bernie-sanders-has-secret-weapon-new-york
As Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton battle for a win in Tuesday's Democratic presidential primary in New York, Clinton's home state advantage has given her an edge in the polls, but Sanders has a secret weapon.
It's called the Working Families Party, a progressive party backed by labor unions and community activists whose New York chapter has gone all-in for Sanders. The party is known across the state and particularly in New York City for its impressive get-out-the-vote efforts. If Sanders tops Clinton in her home state or even beats expectations and comes close, he will have the WFP to thank.
In New York, where the party was founded in 1998, it has become a major presence. Third parties enjoy substantial influence in the Empire State due to fusion voting, which lets candidates appear on the ballot for multiple parties. At times, the WFP runs its own candidates; at others, it backs progressive Democrats in primary races. In Tuesday's Democratic primary, only registered Democrats, not the small number of progressives registered with the WFP, can vote for the Democratic nominee. The party's biggest successes have come in New York City, where WFP-backed candidates hold substantial power, including Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito.
. . .
For months, the party has been engaged in voter outreach on Sanders' behalf—knocking on doors, phone banking, talking to local leaders, and helping Sanders draw local endorsements. Bill Lipton, the WFP's New York state director, says the party has been able to use the momentum behind Sanders to recruit thousands of volunteers. The WFP recently helped the campaign draw 1,500 supporters to a rally in Brooklyn, where it was able to recruit hundreds of volunteers. "Like 600 or 700 of them, two hours later they were out door knocking with canvass sheets," says Lipton.
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