Backs Sanders

Rep. Welch to back Sanders for president

By DANIEL STRAUSS

Rep. Peter Welch is supporting Sen. Bernie Sanders for president, giving Sanders his first congressional endorsement in his home state.

Welch said on Friday to Vermont Edition that he planned to vote for Sanders in the state's March 1 primary.

The Vermont congressman also plans to vote for Sanders as a superdelegate at the Democratic National Convention this summer, Welch said.

"I'll be voting [on March 1]," Welch said, according to Vermont Edition. "And I've decided to vote for Bernie Sanders."

Welch added that "as a superdelegate, I'll follow through and vote for him when we get to the convention in July."

Welch's support pushes back on the narrative that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has a monopoly of support among the top Democrats in the state. Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin and Sen. Patrick Leahy as well as former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean have endorsed Clinton.