“We are excited to be joining the movement to make Bernie Sanders the Democratic nominee for president. We believe he can win the nomination, defeat Donald Trump in November, and usher in down-ballot victories that will help jump-start the political revolution.” – Sunrise Movement

The youth-led Sunrise Movement endorsed Sen. Bernie Sanders on Thursday, the latest left-wing advocacy group to support the Vermont Independent’s surging candidacy.

“We believe a Bernie Sanders presidency would provide the best political terrain in which to engage in and ultimately win that struggle for the world we deserve,” Varshini Prakash, a founder and the executive director of the movement, said in a statement. “Senator Sanders has made it clear throughout his political career and in this campaign that he grasps the scale of the climate crisis, the urgency with which we must act to address it, and the opportunity we have in coming together to do so.”

We are proud to announce that our movement has voted resoundingly to endorse @BernieSanders for President of the United States.

?Join the #GreenNewDeal political revolution: https://t.co/3eXE0XsIUv#Sunrise4Bernie pic.twitter.com/cAO09Irndt

— Sunrise Movement ? (@sunrisemvmt) January 9, 2020

In a Medium post, the Sunrise Movement cited Sanders’ consistency, moral courage, and responsiveness to new information as their reason for endorsing him.

“More than any other major political figure in our lifetimes, we’ve seen Senator Sanders lead in taking positions that he believed were right and fighting for them” Sunrise wrote in a Medium Post. “The positions he’s taken in the 2020 election draw from deep moral convictions promoted over decades of his career. From his days as a civil rights activist, to the countless pickets and strikes he has joined, to standing with the Standing Rock Sioux, Bernie shows up time and time again.”

Sunrise said their endorsement means that the group will be shifting resources towards Sanders’ election campaign.

The Sunrise Movement also praised Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who at 17.4% of the group’s vote, “was the only other candidate to receive greater than a few handfuls of votes from our members,” and said they look forward to continue working with her to “win a Green New Deal and raise the political urgency of addressing the climate crisis.”

Other Democratic frontrunners Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg have been criticized by activists for accepting donations from the fossil fuel industry and its financiers. Biden’s climate adviser, Heather Zichal, recently made $1.1 million as a board member at natural gas company Cheniere Energy Partners, and his climate plan was given an “F-” by the Sunrise Movement.

“Look at my record, child,” Biden told an 18-year-old organizer who challenged his commitment to environmental issues.

Sunrise joins endorsements for the Vermont Senator from groups like National Nurses United, United Teachers Los Angeles, Center for Popular Democracy Action and People’s Action. Dream Defenders, a group focused on criminal justice reform, also endorsed Sanders last week.

Today, we announce our endorsement of @BernieSanders and the movement to elect him to the presidency. Watch the video and then read our full endorsement statement, sign up to volunteer and donate at https://t.co/6z1Lmfu9U4 #DDforBernie pic.twitter.com/svhQ874Rcd

— Dream Defenders (@Dreamdefenders) January 8, 2020

Sanders has recieved the most donations of any Democratic candidate, and is also the top recipient of donations from military members and K-12 teachers, and the most common employers of his donors are Walmart, Starbucks, and Amazon.

Sunrise believes that Sanders’ diverse grassroots support will be key in his ability to fight climate change.

“We are excited to be joining the movement to make Bernie Sanders the Democratic nominee for president,” Sunrise said. “We believe he can win the nomination, defeat Donald Trump in November, and usher in down-ballot victories that will help jump-start the political revolution.”