Former U.S. vice president and current 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden has hired political strategist Symone Sanders as a top adviser to his campaign. It is a move that pundits believe will widen his appeal him to Black and millennial voters, reported the Associated Press (AP).
Sanders, 29, was recruited heavily by several other high-profile Democratic candidates including Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, Elizabeth Warren and Kirsten Gillibrand. However, she agreed to work with Biden after having a meeting with him at his Virginia home, AP reported.
Sanders became a prominent political figure after working as the press secretary for Bernie Sanders (no relation) during his 2016 campaign for Democratic nominee. The political analyst is also a staple on CNN that has been applauded for her brilliance, savvy and fearlessness when standing her ground.
Donna Brazile, former Democratic National Committee Chair, said hiring Sanders was “one of the best moves” Biden’s campaign could have made. “She understands how to build a coalition, and that women of color are the backbone of the Democratic Party,” Brazile said.
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A self-proclaimed “spokesperson for the culture,” Sanders is very outspoken and regularly heralds the value Black women bring to the overall political process.
“I think the political and democratic apparatus has woken up to see the real value of Black women and now they are doing all kinds of things to hold on to it and bring Black women into the fold and Black women are like, ‘We just want you to hire us, give us resources, let us lead, and get out of our way,” she told Black Enterprise.
Since the announcement, Sanders has been engaged in Twitter debates with prominent activists like Shaun King and others who question some of Biden’s past positions and votes. Others celebrated Sanders intelligence.
