Senator Bernie Sanders is facing increased scrutiny over his endorsement practices as several candidates he has supported this election cycle have become entangled in controversies and scandals. The latest instance involves Senate candidate Graham Platner in Maine, who withdrew from the race following a report detailing an alleged sexual assault.
Sanders, an independent from Vermont who caucuses with Democrats, had been a vocal supporter of Platner, attending campaign events and advocating for him on social media. However, following the report published by Politico, Sanders joined many other Democrats in calling for Platner to step aside. This situation has led some Democrats and commentators to question Sanders' judgment in elevating candidates with unvetted pasts.
"The Graham Platner fiasco was bad, yes. But now, some Dems are tallying up everywhere else Sanders and his orbit bet wrong this cycle, raising questions about their judgment in elevating untested, unvetted candidates with skeletons nobody bothered to check for," wrote political commentator Rachel Bade on X.
This is not the first instance this cycle where a Sanders-backed candidate has faced controversy. Adam Hamawy, who won a Democratic primary with Sanders' endorsement, has past ties to an individual convicted in connection with the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. Melat Kiros, a socialist candidate in Colorado endorsed by Sanders, made controversial remarks about the 9/11 terror attacks. Randy Villegas, another congressional candidate supported by Sanders, faced scrutiny for votes related to child sex-abuse cases when he was a teacher. Additionally, Sanders has backed Cori Bush, who has faced criticism for her past statements on defunding the police and campaign finance issues.
Senator John Fetterman, D-Pa., has also voiced criticism, suggesting Sanders should "consider sitting a few out and stop pushing these kinds of communists." He noted that Platner had directed profanity at him during a town hall event.
Sanders' endorsement history extends beyond the current cycle. In 2018, he endorsed Andrew Gillum, who later faced drug-related charges and was involved in an incident related to illicit substances. In 2019, Sanders rescinded his endorsement of Cenk Uygur, founder of The Young Turks, after a history of racist remarks surfaced.
He has also endorsed members of "The Squad," such as Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., who have faced accusations of antisemitism and have records opposing certain U.S. foreign policies and supporting police reform. Tlaib recently criticized the prison sentences of individuals involved in an attack on a Texas immigration facility.
Shannon Watts, a gun-control advocate, noted that Sanders also endorsed Nate Blouin, a Utah House Democratic candidate who allegedly mocked sexual assault, suggesting a pattern of overlooking character flaws. Natalie Baldassarre, Republican National Committee Press Secretary, echoed these sentiments, criticizing what she called Sanders' "clown car of unvetted and untested candidates."
In the 2026 midterm cycle, Sanders has endorsed 19 federal candidates, nine of whom have not previously held office. He has also endorsed 54 state and local candidates, a higher number than fellow progressives Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Ro Khanna.
Attention is now turning to the upcoming Michigan Senate primary, where Sanders has endorsed Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive doctor who has called for defunding the police and abolishing ICE. El-Sayed is challenging Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., who has the support of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
Sanders' office did not respond to requests for comment regarding his endorsement track record. The scrutiny highlights the challenges of balancing support for progressive policies with the need for candidate vetting.