WASHINGTON (AP) – Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura says he’s split between backing Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders and Republican candidate Donald Trump.
It may seem like an odd choice between candidates at opposite ends of the political spectrum. But Ventura told The Associated Press on Monday that he sees echoes of his own underdog win for governor in 1998 in their campaigns. Ventura earned a spot in Minnesota’s political history books by winning the state’s highest office as a member of the Reform Party, a third-party organization later renamed the Independence Party of Minnesota.
But the former professional wrestler says it all comes down to the influence of money in politics. Ventura says he disagrees with some of Trump’s platform, namely on foreign policy and immigration, but he appreciates the New York businessman’s self-funded campaign, as well as Sanders’ stance on accepting contributions.
Ventura said he won’t make an official endorsement because he doesn’t belong to either party. Plus, he said he’s still mulling his own presidential run as a third-party Libertarian candidate.