Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks Sunday at a news conference in Washington, D.C.

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks Sunday at a news conference in Washington, D.C.

As path narrows, Sanders asks party insiders to back his bid

WASHINGTON — Bernie Sanders acknowledged Sunday that his “uphill climb” to the Democratic nomination depends on persuading superdelegates, the elected officials, lobbyists and other party insiders who are free to back either candidate.

He’s asking those party leaders, who overwhelmingly support rival Hillary Clinton, to “go into their hearts” and change their support to Sanders.

It’s an admission that even some of his own aides call ironic, given that Sanders has focused his campaign on taking down what he calls a corrupt political establishment. The Vermont senator formally joined the Democratic party a year ago, after serving decades in Congress as a self-identified democratic socialist.

In a press conference organized to mark the year anniversary of his insurgent bid, Sanders called on superdelegates to reflect the vote in their state. He also cast himself as more electable against Donald Trump, arguing that superdelegates should prioritize beating the GOP frontrunner over other concerns.

“It’s a steep hill to climb,” he admitted, at a press conference in Washington on Sunday. “But, at the end of the day the responsibility that superdelegates have is to decide what is best for the country and what is best for the Democratic party.”

To win the nomination, Sanders would have to flip hundreds of superdelegates, far more than the several dozens that changed from Clinton to support then Illinois Sen. Barack Obama eight years ago. Sanders would also have to convince superdelegates to vote against the national pledged delegate leader — an unprecedented political maneuver.

Though they’ve been part of Democratic presidential elections since 1984, the superdelegates have never been a determining factor for the nomination because they’ve never overturned the candidate that leads nationally in pledged delegates.

Hillary Clinton is 91 percent of the way to clinching the Democratic nomination, when including superdelegates. She leads in both pledged delegates by 1,645 to Sanders’ 1,318, according to the Associated Press. It takes 2,383 to win.

Sanders would need to win more than 82 percent of the remaining delegates and uncommitted superdelegates through June if he hopes to clinch the nomination; currently, Sanders has been winning just 39 percent.

So far, no Clinton-backing superdelegates have flipped to Sanders, despite an aggressive lobbying campaign from his supporters that in some cases included harassing phones calls and online threats.

Despite her lead, Sanders says he plans to compete through the remainder of the primary contests in May and June. The question is whether he’ll have the resources to fund an aggressive advertising campaign, particularly in the expensive media markets of California.

Sanders said on Sunday that he brought in about $26 million in April for his campaign, a steep decline from the $46 million he raised in March.

Earlier this week that he was laying off hundreds of staffers after losses last month in New York and several East coast primaries. The campaign said it was downsizing its staff because about 80 percent of the primaries and caucuses had been completed and the changes would allow it to focus heavily on California.

Sanders’ campaign did not report Sunday how much it spent in April or how much it had in the bank at the end of the month. The figures will be included in fundraising reports filed with the Federal Election Commission later in the month.

Clinton’s campaign did not immediately report its fundraising totals in April. The former secretary of state entered April with $29 million in the bank compared to $17 million for Sanders.

Sanders has vowed to campaign into the party’s convention in Philadelphia in July and seek as many delegates as possible to influence the party’s platform.

“We also can do arithmetic. We understand her advantage is substantial,” said senior adviser Tad Devine. “We want to be as strong as possible going in there. But right now the goal is victory.”

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

A firefighter stands in silence before a panel bearing the names of L. John Regelbrugge and Kris Regelbrugge during the ten-year remembrance of the Oso landslide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘Flood of emotions’ as Oso Landslide Memorial opens on 10th anniversary

Friends, family and first responders held a moment of silence at 10:37 a.m. at the new 2-acre memorial off Highway 530.

Julie Petersen poses for a photo with images of her sister Christina Jefferds and Jefferds’ grand daughter Sanoah Violet Huestis next to a memorial for Sanoah at her home on March 20, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. Peterson wears her sister’s favorite color and one of her bangles. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
‘It just all came down’: An oral history of the Oso mudslide

Ten years later, The Daily Herald spoke with dozens of people — first responders, family, survivors — touched by the deadliest slide in U.S. history.

Victims of the Oso mudslide on March 22, 2014. (Courtesy photos)
Remembering the 43 lives lost in the Oso mudslide

The slide wiped out a neighborhood along Highway 530 in 2014. “Even though you feel like you’re alone in your grief, you’re really not.”

Director Lucia Schmit, right, and Deputy Director Dara Salmon inside the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management on Friday, March 8, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
How Oso slide changed local emergency response ‘on virtually every level’

“In a decade, we have just really, really advanced,” through hard-earned lessons applied to the pandemic, floods and opioids.

Ron and Gail Thompson at their home on Monday, March 4, 2024 in Oso, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In shadow of scarred Oso hillside, mudslide’s wounds still feel fresh

Locals reflected on living with grief and finding meaning in the wake of a catastrophe “nothing like you can ever imagine” in 2014.

Kelli Littlejohn, who was 11 when her older sister Melissa Lee was murdered, speaks to a group of investigators and deputies to thank them for bringing closure to her family after over 30 years on Thursday, March 28, 2024, at Snohomish County Superior Court in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘She can rest in peace’: Jury convicts Bothell man in 1993 killing

Even after police arrested Alan Dean in 2020, it was unclear if he would stand trial. He was convicted Thursday in the murder of Melissa Lee, 15.

Ariel Garcia, 4, was last seen Wednesday morning in an apartment in the 4800 block of Vesper Dr. (Photo provided by Everett Police)
Everett police searching for missing child, 4

Ariel Garcia was last seen Wednesday at an apartment in the 4800 block of Vesper Drive. The child was missing under “suspicious circumstances.”

The rezoned property, seen here from the Hillside Vista luxury development, is surrounded on two sides by modern neighborhoods Monday, March 25, 2024, in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Despite petition, Lake Stevens OKs rezone for new 96-home development

The change faced resistance from some residents, who worried about the effects of more density in the neighborhood.

Rep. Suzan DelBene, left, introduces Xichitl Torres Small, center, Undersecretary for Rural Development with the U.S. Department of Agriculture during a talk at Thomas Family Farms on Monday, April 3, 2023, in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Under new federal program, Washingtonians can file taxes for free

At a press conference Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene called the Direct File program safe, easy and secure.

Former Snohomish County sheriff’s deputy Jeremie Zeller appears in court for sentencing on multiple counts of misdemeanor theft Wednesday, March 27, 2024, at Snohomish County Superior Court in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Ex-sheriff’s deputy sentenced to 1 week of jail time for hardware theft

Jeremie Zeller, 47, stole merchandise from Home Depot in south Everett, where he worked overtime as a security guard.

Everett
11 months later, Lake Stevens man charged in fatal Casino Road shooting

Malik Fulson is accused of shooting Joseph Haderlie to death in the parking lot at the Crystal Springs Apartments last April.

T.J. Peters testifies during the murder trial of Alan Dean at the Snohomish County Courthouse on Tuesday, March 26, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Bothell cold case trial now in jury’s hands

In court this week, the ex-boyfriend of Melissa Lee denied any role in her death. The defendant, Alan Dean, didn’t testify.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.