By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
Sunday, June 5, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (D) won the Puerto Rico Democratic Primary. According to the Associated Press this victory gave the former First Lady enough delegates, both pledged and unbound, to secure Clinton the Democratic Party nomination for President of the United States.
Clinton was campaigning Monday in California ahead of Tuesday’s final primaries. Clinton said, “My supporters are passionate, they are committed, they have voted for me in great numbers across the country for many reasons, but among the reasons is their belief that having a woman president would make a great statement, a historic statement, about what kind of country we are, what we stand for. It’s really emotional.”
Sec. Clinton’s campaign manager Robby Mook said in a statement, “ This is an important milestone, but there are six states that are voting Tuesday, with millions of people heading to the polls, and Hillary Clinton is working to earn every vote. We look forward to Tuesday night, when Hillary Clinton will clinch not only a win in the popular vote, but also the majority of pledged delegates.”
Clinton’s rival for the nomination, US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) is vowing to fight on to the convention. Because the Democrats have hundreds of super delegates it is very difficult for a candidate to win such a commanding lead of the bound delegates to win without the matter being ultimately decided by the super delegates. Sanders is appealing to the super delegates not to honor their earlier pledges of support for Clinton. At this point in the race, Sec. Clinton has more bound delegates, has won more states and caucuses, and has more actual votes that does Sanders.
The Sanders campaign’s head of Hispanic voter efforts, Betsy Franceschini, told “Caribbean Business” that Sanders officials were initially denied access to prisons to help inmates vote. Franceschini said, “Our Bernie Sanders officials were never certified. We had 40 officials we submitted in time for the prisons. Not one of them was certified, while all of theirs [Hillary Clinton) went in. Attorney Manny Suárez had to go in order for us to be let in. This is a great fraud.”
On Tuesday, voters in the remaining states go to the polls. Sanders and Clinton will compete for 694 pledged delegates. There are 475 delegates at stake in California alone.
On the Republican side New York City billionaire Donald Trump is gaining momentum with no remaining Republican contender in the field.
The Libertarian Party has chosen former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson to be their 2016 candidate for President of the United States. Independent David French ended his exploratory bid.
