BURLINGTON, Vt. — US Senator Bernie Sanders jumped into the 2016 presidential race Thursday, but the former Burlington mayor is missing the support of one key local ally: The current Burlington mayor.
In a brief interview with the Globe, Mayor Miro Weinberger said Thursday afternoon he plans to back Hillary Rodham Clinton.
“Bernie was one of the most effective mayors that Burlington ever had,” Weinberger said. “I’m supporting Hillary because I think she’s the right person at the right time, and I think she’ll be a great president.”
Weinberger, the first Democrat elected mayor in the city for 31 years, declined to elaborate. Sanders has long been an independent, but caucuses with Democrats in the Senate and is seeking the Democratic nomination for president.
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It’s worth noting Clinton’s team has deep Vermont ties. Her campaign manager, Robby Mook, hails from the Green Mountain State and is a familiar face in Democratic politics. He worked on former Vermont governor Howard Dean’s bid for the presidency in 2004.
Annie Linskey can be reached at annie.linskey@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @annielinskey.