Politics Bernie Sanders to rally in New York in comeback from heart attack

Slideshow by Tribune News Service

NEW YORK — U.S. presidential candidate Bernie Sanders will return to the campaign trail in New York City on Saturday, nearly three weeks after a heart attack that raised concerns about his viability in the Democratic race to pick a challenger to President Donald Trump.

U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, one of the leaders of the party's progressives and a frequent target of Trump attacks, will join the "Bernie's Back" rally in Queensbridge Park and formally endorse Sanders for the White House, the campaign said.

Bernie Sanders: I'm ready 'to go full blast' following heart attack

Sen. Bernie Sanders on Thursday said he was prepared to rejoin the Democratic presidential campaign at "full blast" after experiencing a heart attack last week, with trips to Iowa, Nevada and New Hampshire on his post-debate itinerary. In an interview with CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Sanders described in detail the symptoms he experienced during a campaign stop in Las Vegas and, after being pressed about the gap between his diagnosis and its disclosure, insisted that he and his team had revealed the information in a responsible time frame.

The rally will be Sanders' first event on the campaign trail since his heart attack on Oct. 1, when he had two stents inserted to open a blocked artery.

A guide to the Democratic contenders who want to face Trump

The heart attack threatened to derail the campaign of Sanders, 78, the oldest candidate in the crowded field seeking the Democratic nomination to face Trump in 2020. The U.S. senator canceled campaign appearances and returned to his home in Burlington, Vermont, to recover.

But Sanders was back to participate in Tuesday night's three-hour Democratic debate, and he has vowed to resume a full-tilt campaign pushing signature progressive issues such as a government-run healthcare program and a tax on the wealth of the richest Americans.

Debate crowd cheers after Sanders says he's 'feeling great' when asked about heart attack

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Tuesday addressed his recent heart attack and whether it would affect his fitness to serve as president, drawing cheers from audience members in Ohio when he said he was "feeling great." Sanders told CNN moderator Erin Burnett he was "healthy" and "feeling great" during the debate, his first since taking a break from campaign trail after suffering a heart attack.

© Alan Diaz/AP Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders acknowledges his supporters at a campaign rally on March 8, 2016, in Miami. Alan Diaz/AP The backing of Ocasio-Cortez, who represents a New York district near where Sanders will hold the rally, is expected to boost Sanders in his efforts to fight off fellow progressive White House candidate Elizabeth Warren, who has passed Sanders in opinion polls.

Sanders runs third behind Warren, a U.S. senator from Massachusetts, and former Vice President Joe Biden in most recent national polls, although Sanders raised more money for his campaign in the last quarter than any other Democrat.

U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, another member of a group of progressive first-term congresswomen known as "The Squad," announced her endorsement of Sanders on Tuesday.

A third member of the group, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, is also expected to endorse Sanders, and his campaign said Sanders would tour her Detroit district with Tlaib on Oct. 27.

Reporting by Simon Lewis; editing by John Whitesides and Steve Orlofsky