The 2020 Bernie Delegates Network Announces Launch as Progressive Force for Democratic National Convention

By Our Revolution, Progressive Democrats of America and RootsAction.org, The 2020 Bernie Delegates Network for Political Action

21 May 20

hree progressive national organizations today announced formation of the 2020 Bernie Delegates Network, which will serve as a communications and action hub for more than 1,000 Bernie Sanders delegates to the Democratic National Convention.

Selected last week as a Sanders delegate from Arizona to the 2020 national convention, Patti Serrano said: “We look forward to continue holding the party’s top leaders accountable. We are committed to speaking truths on policies that affect and hurt our communities. By organizing and ensuring we hold ground on the everyday issues that directly impact the majority of people in our nation, like the fundamental human right to quality healthcare, I am hopeful that the Bernie Delegates Network will have a positive impact on this year’s convention.” Serrano, who was born and raised in South Tucson, is the daughter of Mexican immigrants.

In a joint statement, the sponsoring groups -- Our Revolution, Progressive Democrats of America and RootsAction.org -- said that the network will work to support and connect delegates at the DNC.

“The progressive base of the Democratic Party is determined to be heard,” the statement said. “At the grassroots, it’s clear where the political momentum is headed. Unless the Democratic ticket and the party’s top leaders are willing to fully recognize and respond to the broadly popular policy views of party activists, we’re in grave danger of low, 2016-level voter turnouts and the re-election of Donald Trump. It is unacceptable for top-ranking Democrats to maintain corporate business-as-usual.”

In the weeks before the party’s national convention in Philadelphia, the 2016 Bernie Delegates Network was organized and sponsored by RootsAction and PDA. Conducting one-delegate one-vote online elections, the network gauged and publicized the views of Sanders delegates on key issues and plans.

A July 2016 network survey of several hundred Sanders delegates on likely VP running mates found that just 3 percent said that Tim Kaine would be “acceptable” -- with 9 percent undecided and 88 percent saying Kaine was “unacceptable.” A week later, Hillary Clinton announced Kaine as her choice.

Today’s statement from the 2020 Bernie Delegates Network said: “We will be urging the current Democratic leadership to heed the concerns of progressives and avoid the kind of mistakes that led to defeat four years ago.”