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Andrew Yang Joins CNN’s Roster of Contributors

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Former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang has joined CNN as a political commentator, the AT&T-owned cable-news outlet said Wednesday, the latest addition of an influential political figure to a TV newsroom’s ranks in a heated news cycle.

“I’m excited to join CNN to help shed light on the election and the candidates’ experiences,” Yang wrote in a tweet Wednesday after the network announced the new relationship. “Learned a lot these past months and am glad to contribute to the public discussion.” He is expected to appear on the network Wednesday night to help analyze a Democratic debate taking place this evening in Las Vegas. “Maybe I’ll wear a tie…” he mused on Twitter.

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In Yang, CNN has a contributor with recent, hard-won experience on the campaign trail. Yang can offer interesting insight into the next round of Democratic debates as well as efforts by remaining candidates to devise winning policy initiatives.

He is the most recent hire by a prominent TV-news outlet of a former political mainstay. CBS News has struck a contributor relationship with former White House Chief of Staff Reince Preibus, for example.

Yang ended his campaign last week, marking the end of a surprising run from a relatively unknown entrepreneur for the Oval Office. He pushed the notion of launching a “Freedom Dividend,” a plan that would provide $1,000 per month to every American adult. His base was known as the “Yang Gang.”

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