Former Gov. Ventura split between backing Sanders or Trump

Jesse Ventura
Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura says he sees echoes of his own underdog win for governor in 1998 in the two candidates' campaigns.
BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI | AFP | Getty Images 2013

Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura says he's split between backing Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders and Republican businessman Donald Trump.

It may seem like an odd choice between candidates on either end of the political spectrum. But Ventura told The Associated Press Monday he sees echoes of his own underdog win for governor in 1998 in the two candidates' campaigns.

His support of Trump and Sanders all comes down to the influence of money in politics. He says they're the only candidates who receive no PAC money or lobbyist donations.

The former Reform Party governor says he won't make a formal endorsement because he's not a member of either party. He says he's still mulling a third-party run for president as a Libertarian candidate.

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