Democratic Socialists group endorses Bernie Sanders for 2020

WASHINGTON — The Democratic Socialists of America has endorsed Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in his second run for president.

The New York-based group says its National Political Committee voted Thursday to endorse Sanders and move forward with "an independent campaign" to elect him and "advance a class-struggle agenda."

The 56,000-member organization calls Sanders "the only democratic socialist running for president in 2020" and "the only socialist in American history with a serious chance of winning the presidency."

Sanders is a self-described democratic socialist. He announced his Democratic presidential bid last month, saying his campaign is about "creating a government based on the principles of economic, social, racial and environmental justice."

Sanders spoke to striking university workers in Los Angeles this week and complained about "a war being waged against the working people."