Apropos of nothing, the Associated Press called the Democratic primary race for Hillary Clinton on Monday night, declaring her “the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee on the eve of Tuesday’s voting”.
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Sanders immediately responded, insisting no Democrat will lock in the nomination until the Democratic national convention in July because unbound super-delegates can not vote until then.
Clinton’s faithful also anxious that the call might affect turnout in California, where the former secretary of state seeks victory to stifle Sanders’ momentum.
AP will not call her the “nominee” until she reaches that milestone in Philadelphia next month, when the party’s delegates formally cast their vote at the convention.
According to The Associated Press, a delegate count and survey of superdelegates “shows Clinton with the overall support of the required 2,383 delegates”.
Sanders spokesman Michael Briggs said Clinton’s support was dependent upon superdelegates who could still change their minds between now and the July convention.
Passing the milestone of 2,383 delegates late Monday secured Clinton’s status as the presumptive Democratic nominee, and she becomes the first female standard-bearer of a major U.S. political party. “Secretary Clinton will not have the requisite number of pledged delegates to win the Democratic nomination”.
The votes of the superdelegates are not official until they make their choice known at the convention in July.
President Barack Obama edged closer to a formal endorsement of Hillary Clinton as the Democratic presidential nominee Monday, suggesting the next 48 hours would be pivotal. “Let’s assess where we are after tomorrow before we make statements based on speculation”, Sanders said. Sanders supporters argue it is “misleading”, “unfair”, and even a “lie” that news networks would declare Clinton the victor because “superdelegates” don’t officially vote until the convention. “Everyone’s had women in power for many years, and we’re still hoping we get a nominee”.
“But we still have work to do, don’t we?” she said, referring to Tuesday’s primaries in California, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota and South Dakota.
But Sanders has so far been unable to sway the superdelegates, and there were signs Monday that he was taking stock of his standing in the race.
AP said Clinton won 1,812 pledged delegates in state primaries and caucuses and also is supported by 571 superdelegates, according to repeated AP polling of the Democratic party’s more than 700 superdelegates.
If Sanders, who was trailing in polls in California until recently, roars back to take the state, he may have little incentive to exit the race despite increasing pressure from party luminaries to stand down. I think the proof is in the results.
The Vermont senator, looking for big victories Tuesday, contends he will use the coming weeks to try and flip many of Clinton’s super-delegates in his favor.
Campaigning in San Francisco, Sanders would not speculate to reporters about what a poor showing in Tuesday’s primaries might mean to his presidential campaign. Right or wrong, Sanders and his supporters want the party to move far to the left.
The former secretary of state now becomes the presumptive Democratic nominee, and will do battle in the general election with Donald Trump, who secured the same status within the Republican camp last month.
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Mr Sanders’s plans to introduce free universal healthcare and college education along with his criticism of a “corrupt” campaign finance system and powerful big corporations helped him win over.
