In response to Monday’s AP report that Hillary Clinton has secured the delegates needed to become the Democratic party presumptive nominee, Bernie Sanders’ campaign has issued a statement saying it’s wrong to count the votes before the summer convention. We are on the brink of a historic moment Sanders camp: “Clinton has not secured nomination yet AP: “Clinton secures delegates needed for nomination MORE slammed the media’s “rush to judgement”. According to the PPD Democratic Delegate Count and Tracker, which does include the superdelegates supporting her for the presidential nomination, Mrs. Clinton is just 25 delegates shy of locking it up.
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But Latino activists have warned Democrats that merely bashing Trump is not enough to win their votes, pressing for engagement on issues ranging from immigration to jobs to education.
Clinton greeted news of her achievement with a measured response, wary of depressing turnout and eager to save the revelry for a big victory party Tuesday night in Brooklyn. Her supporters have said Sanders should look at that as a road map for his own exit from this year’s race. She energized Democrats with a blistering speech last week challenging Trump’s qualifications for the presidency, reassuring supporters that she’s prepared for a bruising campaign against the unpredictable businessman.
Clinton won all seven delegates available in the U.S. Virgin Islands and at least 36 of the 60 delegates available in Puerto Rico.
Clinton wouldn’t say whether she thinks Sanders should concede tonight, but pointed out today is the eight-year anniversary of when she dropped out and endorsed then-U.S. Sen.
Clinton is closing in on the nomination with one more round of states set to vote Tuesday, including California and New Jersey.
Clinton has always been the front-runner to be the Democratic nominee in the November 8 election but has faced an unexpectedly tough fight against Sanders, 74, and his attacks on her from the left. While he has made remarks indicating a preference for Clinton, Obama has so far avoided a clear endorsement.
That included a stop at a charity “Pedal on the Pier” fundraiser, where Sanders told people riding on stationary bikes that the US should have “an economy that works for all people, not just the one percent”. Even some Republicans said the speech hit a major vulnerability for Trump. Spokesman Michael Briggs said in an email the campaign was “doing fine”.
Trump also continues to struggle to build out a robust general election campaign staff in battleground states or a national fundraising network, though the real estate mogul insists he can win without the trappings of a traditional campaign. The final Democratic primary will be held next week in the District of Columbia. In recent days, his comments about a judge he believes to be biased against him because he is Mexican-American have drawn criticism.
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The latest Reuters/Ipsos tracking poll showed Clinton with an 11-percentage-point edge over Trump, 46 percent to 35 percent, a marked change from just 10 days ago, when fewer than 4 points separated the two.
