The Democratic Primary

Last month I wasn’t uncomfortable naming Donald Trump as the presumptive Republican nominee, because all of his competitors had dropped out of the race.  This hasn’t happened on the Democratic side.

June 7th was the last set of major primaries in the United States.  There is still one more primary election in Washington D.C. but for the most part, the primaries are over. Hillary is winning and yet Sanders isn’t dropping out of the race.

To clinch the Democratic Primary a candidate needs 2,383 votes. As of June 9th Hillary has 2,203 pledged delegates and 574 super delegates. Bernie has 1,828 pledged delegates and 48 super delegates.  If Sanders still cannot reach 2,383 votes, even with all of the super delegates, why is he still in the race?

1:  To make a point.  A party convention isn’t just about choosing who the next president it. A party convention is also about choosing what the party will stand for and believe and Bernie wants to make sure his supporters are there to have their voices heard.

2:  Clinton’s possible indictment.  While every news source is different, some say she will be indicted and some say there is no chance.  Sanders wants to make the case if there is an indictment, that he should be chosen over Clinton.

3:  To make a point about politics as usual.  Sanders’s campaign was considered a fringe campaign at the beginning.  Clinton was projected the winner before the election started, heck she had over 500 delegates before a single vote was cast.  That doesn’t make sense and isn’t right.

While I do want the Democratic party to unify, because a split ticket would ruin any chance the party has at defeating Trump, I do want Sanders to take this fight to Philadelphia. I want the party to grow and change with the mostly young people who will take over this country in the next few years.