He’s staying.
After a disappointing finish in Tuesday night’s primaries, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) showed no signs of quitting the Democratic primary during a press conference Wednesday afternoon.
“Last night, obviously, was not a good night for our campaign from a delegate point of view,” Sanders said, listing how he lost “the largest state up for grabs” — Michigan — as well as primaries in Mississippi, Missouri and Idaho.
But Sanders touted his win in North Dakota before arguing that despite losing the delegate count to former Vice President Joe Biden, he is “strongly winning in two enormously important areas which will determine the future of our country.”
Sanders, who hadn’t spoke publicly since his primary losses Tuesday evening, also reminded reporters that he’s “winning the generational debate,” while also slamming Biden for his significant backing from senior voters.
“I say to the Democratic establishment: in order to win in the future, you need to win the voters who represent the future of our country and you must speak to the issues of concern to them. You cannot simply be satisfied by winning the votes of people who are older,” Sanders said.
Sanders then argued that while his campaign has “won the ideological debate,” it is “losing the debate over electability.”
“I cannot tell you how many people our campaign has spoken to who have said, ‘I like what your campaign stands for. I agree with what your campaign stands for. But I’m going to vote for Joe Biden because I think Joe is the best candidate to defeat Donald Trump,'” Sanders said. “We have heard that statement all over this country. Needless to say, I strongly disagree with that assertion.”
Sanders added that he “very much” looks forward to debating Biden in Arizona Sunday night and plans to press the former VP on a slew of questions including medical debt, health care, climate change, higher education, student debt, poverty and “billionaires buying elections.”
Sanders’ latest remarks come after prominent Democrats Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC) and political consultant James Carville argued that the Democratic primaries were over following Biden’s series of wins Tuesday night.
Watch Sanders’ remarks below:
Sanders: "Last night, obviously, was not a good night for our campaign from a delegate point of view." pic.twitter.com/0YM5ux4vZ3
— Talking Points Memo (@TPM) March 11, 2020
