Trump urges Sanders to run as independent
Donald Trump last night said Bernie Sanders should run for president as an independent to teach the Democratic party a lesson. The Republican said Mr Sanders had been treated “terribly”, as the Left-wing senator faced calls to drop out and leave the field clear for Hillary Clinton.
DONALD TRUMP last night extended an unexpected hand of friendship to Bernie Sanders, saying that the socialist candidate in the Democratic race had been treated “terribly” and should run as an independent to teach his party a lesson.
Mr Trump was last night on course to win all five Republican primaries in the north east, with Mrs Clinton due to win the Democratic contest in Pennsylvania and with slim margins of victory over Mr Sanders in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware and Maryland.
Mr Sanders is thought to be coming under pressure from Democrat officials to bow out of the race. Yet Mr Trump – also facing attacks from his own side, with rivals John Kasich and Ted Cruz teaming up to work against him – had some advice for Mr Sanders.
“Bernie Sanders has been treated terribly by the Democrats — both with delegates and otherwise,” he tweeted. “He should show them, and run as an independent!”
His advice may not have been entirely altruistic. Were Mr Sanders to run as an independent he would be likely to take votes from a Hillary Clinton Democratic campaign for president, benefiting the Republican candidate.
Mr Sanders was smiling in Philadelphia yesterday but could not conceal his irritation at the questioning of how long his campaign could continue.
“Are you feeling pressure to get out?” he was asked by a reporter. “I’ve been asked that question 50 times today,” the Vermont senator replied tersely.
Before the votes from yesterday’s five primaries were in, Mrs Clinton had 1,446 delegates to Mr Sanders’s 1,202, with 2,383 needed to capture the nomination.
But her lead in super delegates – a cabal of highly-influential Democrat party dignitaries, such as her husband Bill Clinton, who can go to a convention and support whoever they choose – leaves her only about 400 delegates short of that majority.
Nationwide, Mr Sanders has 45.8 per cent of Democrat support, compared with 49.5 for Mrs Clinton, and his campaign still has plenty of money.
On Monday night the 74-year-old said he would support Mrs Clinton if he lost, but that she would have to support his healthcare and climate change positions before he rallied his troops behind her.
That is unlikely because she has repeatedly stated his plans are impossibly expensive and require the support of Republican governors.
“I am winning,” she said on Monday night. “I have 2.7 million more votes than he has.”