Explaining his only loss in yesterday’s elections, Bernie Sanders told the press on Wednesday he worried that the long lines at the Arizona polling places prevented many of his supporters from voting.
“People in the United States should not have to wait five hours in order to vote,” Sanders said during a San Diego press conference. “What happened in Arizona yesterday is a disgrace. I hope every state learns from that.”
The Vermont senator lost the state’s primary to Hillary Clinton 57.8 to 39.7 percent, despite the fact that Sanders put over $1.3 million into ads in Arizona while the secretary of state spent little there. Sanders said that he is “confused” that voters turnout was so low, as only 600,000 people showed up to the polls, and many had to wait in line for hours to cast their vote.
“That was less than we anticipated. And the larger voter turnout there is the better we do,” Sanders said of his loss.
Looking forward, the democratic socialist expects to see more wins like the ones he gained Tuesday in Idaho and Utah as the calendar favors the audience his campaign attracts.
“There have been a lot of contests in the Deep South, which happens to be the most conservative part of the United States. Now we are moving west where Democrats are a bit more progressive,” Sanders said.
He told the press that he expects his campaign to win in New York, California, Washington state, Alaska and Hawaii in the coming weeks, which will help him create his “path to victory.” Clinton currently leads Sanders in delegates 1,681 to 927.
“We are in this thing til the end,” Sanders vowed when asked if he is considering dropping out. “Why in God’s name would we not give the people of New York and California the ability to voice their opinion of who they want to be the Democratic nominee? I mean that’s absurd, of course we would.”
