After losing his home state of New York to rival presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders seemed to shift his plan in regard to winning the Democratic nomination for president. This transition was further put into play after Sanders' losses this Tuesday in states including Connecticut, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. To add, Sanders, this week, decided to lay off hundreds of staffers, explaining, "We have a very large staff, which was designated to deal with fifty states in this country; forty of the states are now behind us."
Although it may seem as if Sanders is beginning to admit defeat, there is no reason for him to end his campaign before the convention this July. While he has suffered substantial losses to Clinton, the most recent of which has pushed her delegate count even closer to the 2,383 necessary in order to secure the Democratic nomination, he still has valid motives to stay in the race until the convention. Once the convention arrives, Clinton should not merely be handed the nomination, only to decide upon her own platform for the election. Rather, Sanders, as well as his progressive ideals, should be able to play a role in this process. I do think that Sanders, once Clinton secures the nomination, will back her; however, I do not see him doing so without having his own hand in the forming of the party platform for this election. This platform, which will be created during the convention, is a chance for Sanders to leave a lasting impact on the future of the party and thus, on Hillary Clinton. Sanders may have held a disadvantage running in a party whose electoral system favors "establishment candidates" over outsiders, yet this convention is an opportunity for him to impart his beliefs on the process which has, inevitably, left him in the dust.
For some time, it seemed as though Sanders had a chance at winning the nomination, his campaign having been victorious in a number of Western states. At that time, Clinton's support appeared to be stagnant. Her significant victory in New York, though, reinvigorated her campaign, as well as her prospects for the nomination. While Sanders' campaign has maintained the majority of its nationwide support in recent weeks, many of his supporters have begun to possess doubts as to whether he will be able to acquire the hundreds of delegates he needs to win the nomination. Sanders' followers, although still buying into his "political revolution," have started to admit that his prospects for the nomination are dwindling. Sanders' losses in four out of the five states which held primaries this Tuesday did not help his campaign. Clinton has garnered substantial support in more densely populated states, such as Maryland and Delaware, and urban areas with large populations of minority voters. Sanders, while typically gaining votes in rural and less affluent areas, continues to have trouble in urban areas, as well as more wealthy regions of the country. It is evident from this primary cycle that the Democratic electoral process favors more moderate candidates, as well as those who gain support from within the party (thanks to superdelegates). The party's platform, too, has remained fairly similar in recent years. Sanders, though, has the ability to change this.
At this point in the race, his chances for receiving the nomination are slim, yet, despite this, he will still have a chance to put forth his beliefs and shape the party's platform for 2016, granted that he does not choose to run as an independent. Until now, Sanders has forced Clinton, as well as others in the party, to face issues that, otherwise, probably would not have been discussed. This is a truly positive thing for the Democratic Party–one historically known as a "big tent party." Sanders has clearly gained immense popularity among young voters, and his progressive messages that these millennials love have begun to rub off on Clinton's more moderate agenda. Many claim that Sanders' left-wing approach to the political system has, in fact, forced Clinton to change her stances substantially in order to appeal an the ever-changing voter demographic–one which has become more and more liberal. For example, Clinton has taken stances favoring increased regulation of Wall Street, raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, and a new look at campaign finance reform, all of which were initially brought to the debate stage by none other than Bernie Sanders. He has, likewise, challenged the typical Democratic way of thinking, which, in your average election, would view Hillary Clinton as the clear choice for the nominee. All of these things have allowed for a diversifying of the Democratic Party and its ideology.
No matter who wins the Democratic nomination, it is essential that the party, as well as its voters, unite behind that person because the alternative will be someone far worse. This means that supporters of Bernie Sanders should vote for Hillary Clinton if she becomes the Democratic nominee, as well as the opposite, should Sanders miraculously pull through and win the nomination. There have been some doubts about whether or not Sanders supporters would be willing to back the more moderate Clinton in the general election, yet in order for a Democrat to win the White House he or she will need the entire party's support. In addition, there have been speculations regarding possibility of Sanders running as an independent in the race; this, though, would be completely irrational on Sanders' part and would likely give the election to the Republican Party due to the the split that would occur between Clinton and Sanders. Sanders, while not necessarily right for president, has had a profound impact on the Democratic Party and has opened it up to a plurality of new, more progressive ideas. Some, despite his probable loss to Hillary Clinton, argue that his ideology is more in tune with the party's progressive roots. It is true that Clinton and Sanders do not agree on all issues, but it is also clear they should not solely focus on defeating one another; this is due to the fact that their true enemies are, in truth, members of the increasingly conservative Republican Party, which has come to represent a part of America so far to the right that it has alienated much of the public, in particular moderate Republicans. Lastly, Clinton and Sanders have exhibited that, even in this chaotic political world, there is still room for civil, intelligent debate (at least on one side of the aisle).
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