Bernie Sanders isn’t counting himself out of Democratic primary season just yet, even as Hillary Clinton won four of five contests on 2016’s final “Super Tuesday” and according to AP is 90 percent of the way towards clinching the nomination.
“The people in every state in this country should have the right to determine who they want as president and what the agenda of the Democratic Party should be,” Sanders said in a statement Tuesday night. “That’s why we are in this race until the last vote is cast.”
While he didn’t strike the tone of an underdog looking to steal the nomination from Clinton, Sanders instead conveyed that his continued efforts will help push a progressive agenda.
“I look forward to issue-oriented campaigns in the 14 contests to come,” Sanders said. “That is why this campaign is going to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia with as many delegates as possible to fight for a progressive party platform that calls for a $15 an hour minimum wage, an end to our disastrous trade policies, a Medicare-for-all health care system, breaking up Wall Street financial institutions, ending fracking in our country, making public colleges and universities tuition free and passing a carbon tax so we can effectively address the planetary crisis of climate change.”
Sanders said he was proud of his victory in Rhode Island Tuesday, and congratulated Clinton for her victories in Connecticut, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Delaware.
“I am proud that we were able to win a resounding victory tonight in Rhode Island, the one state with an open primary where independents had a say in the outcome. Democrats should recognize that the ticket with the best chance of winning this November must attract support from independents as well as Democrats. I am proud of my campaign’s record in that regard,” Sanders said.
In her victory speech Tuesday evening, Clinton made a pitch to Sanders supporters, saying that she looks forward to working with them in the future.
“And I applaud Senator Sanders and his millions of supporters for challenging us to get unaccountable money out of politics and greater emphasis to closing the gap of inequality and I know together we will get that done,” Clinton said at a rally in Pennsylvania.
According to the latest AP tally, including superdelegates, Clinton has 2,141 delegates and Sanders has 1,321.
