Sen. Bernie Sanders might be done touring the country for now. But he’s still making his mark on the Democratic Party by backing progressive candidates earlier than ever ahead of the 2026 midterms — and that early action is by design. “This is a pivotal moment in American history. And it is absolutely imperative that we have candidates and elected officials who have the guts to say, ‘No, I don’t want your billionaire campaign contributions. I’m going to stand up for working families,’” the Vermont independent told NBC News in an interview, acknowledging that he is intentionally endorsing candidates early in their campaigns.

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