Vermont Sen. Sanders to stump for Rosen in Nevada

Independent embarking on nine-state tour

WASHINGTON — Sen. Bernie Sanders will visit Nevada as part of a nine-state battleground tour on behalf of Democratic candidates competing in the November elections.

The packed October schedule marks the Vermont independent’s most extensive stretch of campaigning since the 2016 presidential race and comes ahead of a decision on another White House bid. In addition to Nevada, it will include stops in Iowa and South Carolina, home to crucial early contests on the 2020 primary calendar.

Sanders is expected to make a decision on whether to launch another campaign in the coming months, and the tour could inform his decision. It will allow him to test the durability of the left-leaning coalition he assembled in 2016 and build relationships with elected officials who could serve as allies should he run again.

The tour kicks off on Oct. 19 in Bloomington, Indiana, and Ann Arbor, Michigan, with rallies and events on behalf of Liz Watson, who is challenging Rep. Trey Hollingsworth, R-ind., and Gretchen Whitmer, who is running for Michigan governor.

Sanders will hold rallies and other events in South Carolina and Iowa on Oct. 20-21, including stops in Iowa in Sioux City, Fort Dodge and Ames on behalf of J.D. Scholten, who is challenging Rep. Steve King, R-iowa. His Iowa visit, his first since February, will come amid a boost of political activity in the caucus state, including Booker, who addressed Democratic activists last weekend, and Trump, who will hold a rally in Council Bluffs on Tuesday night.

The itinerary will also include rallies in Wisconsin, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada and California, spanning a number of competitive races key to Democrats’ electoral success. He will be campaigning alongside Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin; David Garcia, who faces Arizona Gov.

Doug Ducey; Rep. Jared Polis, D-colo.; and Jacky Rosen, who is aiming to unseat Sen. Dean Heller, R-nev. Sanders’ California swing will help Rep. Barbara Lee and two California congressional hopefuls, Ammar Campa-najjar and Mike Levin.

Details on Sanders’ visit to Nevada were not immediately available on Tuesday.