- Andrew Yang has dropped out of the race to become the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate.
- Bernie Sanders’ supporters have begun encouraging the YangGang to campaign for Sanders.
- But it’s unlikely Yang will endorse Sanders, who doesn’t support introducing a universal basic income.
Andrew Yang has dropped out. After canvassing around 2.8% in the New Hampshire primaries, he has decided to pull out of the race to become the Democratic Party’s candidate for the 2020 presidential election. Naturally, his clique of supporters – known as the YangGang – are heartbroken.
Many of them have worked tirelessly to increase Yang’s profile and popularity. But in the end their efforts have come to nothing. So what do they do now?
Well, if rival faction the Bernie Bros have their way, the YangGang will now redirect their efforts to getting Bernie Sanders elected. However, while this seems likely in the short term, Yang has suggested he may run again in 2024.
Seducing Andrew Yang Supporters
In the Iowa primaries, Andrew Yang garnered only 1% of the raw vote. He also failed to secure any delegates, a pattern he has now repeated in New Hampshire. As a result of this poor showing, he has now had the grace (unlike, say, Joe Biden) to drop out of the race. As he told POLITICO:
There was a part of me that thought that we might be able to win this race and get this done this cycle. And so there’s a lot of disappointment, because when you’re goal oriented and you’re a builder, it’s very hard to pat yourself on the back and say, job well done, if you didn’t win. But rationally and objectively, I know that we’ve done something unprecedented and remarkable.
Unsurprisingly, a lot of emotional YangGang members have taken to Twitter to express their disappointment, even grief.
In this moment of disenchantment and sorrow, Bernie Sanders’ own loyal gang of supporters – known as Bernie Bros – have quickly swooped in. The Bernie Bros would clearly like to harness the remarkable amount of energy and enthusiasm Andrew Yang’s campaign has unleashed among a growing section of the electorate. So they’ve also logged into Twitter, where they’re now encouraging the YangGang to join their team.
Does Bernie Support UBI?
Yes, Bernie Bros are certainly being opportunistic in reaching out to the YangGang. That said, some Andrew Yang supporters are willing to switch sides. At least under the circumstances of wanting to beat the DNC establishment and then, later, Trump.
However, while there is some grassroots YangGang support for Sanders as their second choice, it’s not clear whether Andrew Yang himself would endorse or support Sanders. Because as POLITICO reported, Yang will endorse a candidate only if they come out in favor of universal basic income.
Famously, Yang promised to introduce a $1,000 per month basic income for everyone in America. But despite Sanders’ apparent commitment to tackling poverty and inequality, he hasn’t unequivocally proposed UBI.
Sanders has repeatedly spoken in support of UBI in the abstract over the past few years. However, in practical terms, he has also said things like UBI is “kind of a step too far right now for the United States.” And more recently, he has specifically opposed Yang’s own UBI policy.
So no, it’s unlikely that Andrew Yang will endorse Sanders. A portion of the YangGang may still campaign for Sanders, given their distaste for the rest of the Democrat field. But without a public endorsement from Yang, the YangGang as a whole won’t team up with the Bernie Bros.
But even if they don’t, this won’t be the end for the YangGang. Yang has suggested that he could run again in 2024. So rather than supporting Sanders, the YangGang might play the long game and concentrate their efforts on building up the base Yang would need in four years’ time.
