Story highlights
Our Revolution will function as a 501(c)(4), a tax-exempt non-profit
The group will focus on involving new progressives into politics
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders plans to fill in his supporters on his next moves Wednesday night during a livestream address to his supporters.
The address, in which Sanders will discuss “Our Revolution,” a group that intends to further his progressive political movement, marks his first remarks to supporters since his speech at the Democratic National Convention last month, which served as the official end to his presidential campaign.
Sanders will beam onto computer screens from a flash studio in Vermont, the same location where he gave his “Where We Go From Here” speech at the end of June after meeting with President Barack Obama and then his primary challenger, Hillary Clinton.
Our Revolution will function as a 501(c)(4), a tax-exempt non-profit. Sanders sent his first fundraising email for the new organization to supporters at the beginning of the month.
“We are building a new organization called Our Revolution. Our goal will be the same as in our campaign: we must work to transform American society by making our political and economic systems work for all of us, not just the 1 percent,” he wrote on August 3.
Our Revolution will focus on involving new progressives into politics, even as local as school board and city councils. It’s a message Sanders fervently preached as his campaign was ending.
“All of you know that election days come and go but what is much more important is that political and social revolutions continue,” he said in a rambunctious town hall in New York City at the end of June.
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The organization’s first mission has been fundraising for the primary opponent of former Democratic National Committee chief – and Sanders nemesis – Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Tim Canova.
Our Revolution will be lead by Sanders’ campaign manager, Jeff Weaver, who will function as the president of the organization. Sanders’ former bodyman, Shannon Jackson, will work as the executive director.
What to expect from Sanders
Weaver said the senator will focus on talking to Bernie 2016 supporters and discussing familiar issues from the campaign trail. He’ll also explain the goals of Our Revolution to Bernie supporters who were bitter by the end of his presidential campaign.
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The slow end of the Sanders campaign was viewed by some in the campaign as a good way to ease die-hard fans into the idea of Clinton as the Democratic nominee. Weaver, for his part, is not concerned that Bernie supporters might be losing interest or steam now that Sanders is no longer in the race.
“I think that Bernie Sanders’ supporters were strongly motivated by that desire to see progressive change. I’m confident they will want to remain involved and I’m very confident that we will be able to retain the level of excitement,” he told CNN.
Despite positive spin from Weaver, the organization itself is already experiencing some turmoil. Buzzfeed first reported that eight members of the organization recently quit. Weaver confirmed to CNN that seven had left, saying one person thought they were going to leave but decided to stay.
Weaver said he was not sure if Sanders would mention Clinton and his desire to see Donald Trump defeated. Sanders has voiced several full endorsements of Clinton in recent weeks.
