The Councilmember’s announcement comes on the heels of an endorsement from California State Assemblymember Reggie Jones Sawyer
LOS ANGELES, CA — Mike Bonin, the most progressive elected official in Los Angeles City government, on Thursday endorsed Sen. Bernie Sanders for president.
“We need to halt climate change and save our planet,” said Councilmember Bonin. “We need to wrest our economy from the few and provide housing, medical care, education and good jobs for everyone. We need to combat racism, sexism, homophobia, xenophobia and bigotry in all forms. We desperately need big, substantive, systemic change. We need bold and empowering leadership. That’s why I endorse Bernie Sanders for president and why I’m proud to join his grassroots movement for change.”
Councilmember Bonin is a co-author of Los Angeles’ groundbreaking $15 minimum wage, a champion of affordable housing and services for people experiencing homelessness, a leader in the effort to electrify the region’s bus fleet, move the city away from fossil fuels and toward 100% clean energy, and an advocate for campaign finance reform–including full public financing of local elections.
“We are thrilled to be working with Councilmember Bonin to expand the electorate, turn out Angelenos at historic levels, and win the March primary for Bernie Sanders and working class people across the state,” said Bernie 2020 California State Director Rafael Návar. “Los Angeles is the third-largest urban economy in the world, but has one of the greatest levels of inequality in the country. Councilmember Bonin understands that Los Angeles is in desperate need of affordable housing, a Green New Deal, and reform to our health care system, and he will be instrumental in keeping up our campaign’s strong momentum as we head into the final stretch.”
Bonin was arrested in 2018 as part of a protest against U.S. immigration policy and family separations at the border. He was one of the first local elected officials in the country to endorse the Green New Deal, and led the council to endorse the Green New Deal and Medicare for All. One of the city’s three LGBT elected officials, Bonin formerly worked for the Courage Campaign, organizing for gay marriage.