Bernie Sanders on Why He's Trying to Unseat Rahm Emanuel

The progressive challenge in Chicago.

Senator Bernard "Bernie" Sanders, an independent from Vermont and possible presidential candidate, speaks during a luncheon at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Monday, March 9, 2015.

Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg
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On Thursday, Vermont Senator and potential 2016 presidential candidate Bernie Sanders will become the first member of the upper house to stump in Chicago's mayoral election. Sanders will officially endorse Chuy Garcia, the Cook County commissioner running a progressive campaign against Mayor Rahm Emanuel. One practical reason for the visit: United Airlines was routing him through the Windy City.

"I was just talking to workers in California on Saturday and Sunday to huge turnouts, and then I was in Vegas for great meeting with 300 workers, and then Austin to talk to 500 workers," said Sanders. "It occurred to me that I was gonna fly through Chicago. So, I called Chuy, and I asked how I could help."