Sen. Bernie Sanders announced the top tier of his campaign team Friday, bringing on two longtime political allies.
Sanders named Franklin County native Jeff Weaver as campaign manager. Weaver first worked for Sanders on his 1986 gubernatorial campaign and later helped on Sanders’ 2006 Senate campaign before becoming the junior senator’s chief of staff.
Longtime Sanders staffer Phil Fiermonte, who most recently served as the director of Sanders’ Vermont state offices, will serve on the presidential effort as campaign field director, according to the announcement. Fiermonte went to the University of Vermont after growing up in Derby, according to the announcement from Sanders’ campaign.
Sanders is expected to formally launch his campaign with a rally in Burlington on May 26.
