MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) – Vermont members of a national online liberal advocacy group have pledged $135,000 to back U.S. Rep. Bernie Sanders if he runs for Senate.

Eli Pariser, executive director of MoveOn.org’s political action committee, said that more than 2,500 of the group’s Vermont members responded to an e-mail sent Friday asking whether the group should back Sanders in his quest to take the seat being vacated in 2006 by Sen. James Jeffords, I-Vt.

“It was a pretty amazing response,” Pariser said. “We’re a member-driven organization, and we wanted to gauge where our members were. About 96 percent of those responding said we should back Bernie. Obviously, he has a base of supporters who are ready to walk on fire for him.”

MoveOn sought its members’ thoughts just two days after Jeffords shook Vermont’s political landscape by declaring he would not seek re-election because of his and his wife’s failing health.

So far there are no declared candidates. Sanders has said it’s too soon to announce his candidacy. Gov. James Douglas has been fielding phone calls from the White House urging him to run.