Bernie Sanders inspires challenges to Democratic incumbents in RI

[Donkees]

The group Rhode Island Progressive Democrats of America is endorsing 18 people seeking legislative seats, 12 for seats already held by Democrats. The group’s aim is to upend the state’s Democratic leadership, which it considers too conservative on issues including abortion and guns. Some of its candidates were involved in the Sanders campaign.

“A lot of these candidates are people we met through the Bernie campaign,” said Samuel Bell, who as state coordinator of the Progressive Democrats group encouraged several of the candidates to run.

Bell said it’s not just the Sanders movement but Rhode Island’s own “corrupt machine” politics that are fueling voter anger and making outsider candidates more appealing. A series of ethics scandals involving the leadership team of Democratic House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello left one House seat open and others vulnerable.

http://wpri.com/2016/06/29/bernie-sanders-inspires-challenges-to-democratic-incumbents/