Sanders to stump for Pennsylvania Dem Senate candidate

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) will lend a hand to Democratic Senate candidate Katie McGinty, bringing his progressive star power to Pennsylvania.

{mosads}The former Democratic presidential candidate will hit the campaign trail for McGinty, on Sept. 16 at Carnegie Mellon University’s Weigand Gymnasium, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. McGinty is trying to unseat GOP Sen. Pat Toomey.

“If our country is to move forward, we need Democratic control over the U.S. Senate. We must end Republican obstructionism and elect a Senate which works for all, and not just the people on top,” Sanders said in a statement, according to the Post-Gazette. “Katie McGinty will be an extremely welcome progressive voice in the United States Senate.”

The Sanders announcement comes one day before Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), another progressive stalwart, will be stumping with McGinty. On Friday, she’ll appear with McGinty at the University of Pennsylvania’s Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.

Since ending his presidential bid, Sanders has vowed to help Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and down-ballot Democrats as they seek to regain control of Congress.

In a fundraising email to supporters late last month, the Vermont senator endorsed several Democratic candidates in key Senate races including McGinty.

McGinty and Toomey are locked in a fierce race that could be pivotal in determining which party controls the Senate. According to RealClearPolitics polling average, the candidates are essentially in a dead heat.

If Democrats want to retake the Senate, they will need to net four seats and retain the White House. They need to defend 10 seats, while Republicans have a tougher battle, needing to defend 24 seats.