WASHINGTON — Bernie Sanders’ sputtering campaign will participate in the New York primary on April 28, despite no clear path to the nomination and growing calls for him to swiftly exit the race.
In a Tuesday morning email, the Vermont senator’s campaign said they were ramping up for the next round of primaries with thousands of volunteers phone-banking and organizing in the Empire State.
“In the ramp up to the New York primary, Bernie 2020 today announced full-time state staff and a broadscale digital organizing program throughout the state,” the email read.
The email signals that the self-described socialist will remain in the Democratic primary race despite being repeatedly thumped by former veep Joe Biden, who is now the presumptive nominee with a large delegate lead.
The Bernie 2020 campaign vowed to fight on, ignoring repeated pleas that he exit the race or risk the health of American voters by unnecessarily sending them to the polls amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Many primaries have been canceled or rescheduled due to the outbreak — leaving the future of the race uncertain.
“At a time of so much uncertainty and struggle, we have been blown away by the huge grassroots support for Bernie in New York, and the eagerness of people across the state to rally around an agenda that works for working people,” campaign New York state director Rafael Navar said.
Sanders, 78, blew up last week when pressed by a reporter on when he would pull the plug on his campaign and on Sunday skipped an important vote on a coronavirus stimulus package to host a campaign event.