Why Bernie Sanders is plunging into Atlanta's mayoral race

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With less than six weeks before the vote, Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders is headed to Atlanta to back former state Sen. Vincent Fort’s race for mayor.

The visit, announced last week by Fort, will be at Saturday at 3 p.m. at Saint Philips AME Church in Atlanta. Expect at least one other big-name guest to attend as well: Hip-hop artist Killer Mike, who has also endorsed Fort, is a Sanders acolyte.

Fort has made little secret that he’s trying to model his bid to succeed Mayor Kasim Reed on Sanders’ insurgent presidential campaign. He’s called for the decriminalization of marijuana, free tuition at Atlanta city colleges and the end of special tax breaks for big developments.

Fort’s alliance with Sanders also earned him the wrath of some longtime party figures. He made a surprise endorsement of Sanders’ presidential bid in early 2016, which made him the highest-profile Democrat in Georgia to back his campaign – and alienated Clinton’s team.

In turn, Sanders gave Fort his full-throated endorsement in January, pushed several fundraising letters for the cash-strapped candidate earlier this year and, on Saturday, will make a personal pitch.

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