The possibility of a final debate of 2016 Democratic presidential race between former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, coming prior to the April 19th New York primary is a step closer to happening today.
The most recent statewide poll, conducted by Emerson College, shows the former New York Senator, leading Sanders 71 percent to 23 percent in state. Sanders’ allies said the goal for the primary is to eat into Clinton’s delegate take by winning at least 40 percent of the vote — a percentage they cite as a “credibility threshold.” And they shrug off the daunting poll numbers, arguing that they have begun every primary contest trailing Clinton by seemingly insurmountable margins.
A spokesperson for Hillary Clinton says she is “perfectly willing” to debate Democratic presidential rival Sanders in New York. The only at the moment is where and when but those are issues that can be worked out.
Clinton spokesperson Brian Fallon said during an interview on last night’s edition of MSNBC/ Bloomberg TV’s “With All Due Respect” that Clinton is open to holding a debate before the state’s April 19 primary.
“If they can find a mutually agreeable date in the next couple of weeks before New York, I think it could happen,” Fallon added.
Yesterday, during a campaign stop in LaCrosse, Wis., Clinton told reporters she was open to the idea of debating, but didn’t suggest a date, according to the New York Daily News.
Meanwhile during an interview on CNN after hearing Clinton’s remarks he was quick to say “Let’s do it.”
Clinton released a new campaign ad Wednesday aimed squarely at Republican rival Donald Trump in New York ahead of the state’s primary. It seems that Clinton has taken the plan of not talking about Sanders in her speeches and her ad buys, but looking toward a general election against Trump.
Despite Sanders lopsided victories in Saturday caucuses in Alaska, Hawaii and Washington State he still has a large mountain to climb.
The delegate math continued to favor Clinton as the campaign headed toward the Wisconsin primary on April 5 and the New York primary on April 19. The former secretary of State now leads Sanders among pledged delegates by 1,243 to 975, according to the Associated Press. When unpledged “superdelegates” are included, her lead stretches to 1,712 to 1,004. Needed for nomination: 2,383.
