Bernie Sanders Talks New York Primary Loss While Campaigning in Pennsylvania
Sanders spent the day campaigning in Pennsylvania.
— -- Two days after the New York primary, Bernie Sanders was campaigning in Pennsylvania when he took a moment to reflect on his nearly 20-point loss to Hillary Clinton.
“We just had a Democratic primary in New York State,” Sanders told supporters in Scranton, Penn., who booed this reference.
"I share your sentiments," he continued. "But, here’s the point. I don’t mind losing, but three million people in New York State who registered as independents didn’t have the right to participate in the Democratic or Republican primary. That really is not democracy.”
Sanders is referring to New York's closed primary system in which you have to be registered as either a Republican or a Democrat to vote. New York had the country's earliest registration deadline -- this election season, it was October 9, 2015 -- which prevented many New Yorkers from voting for the candidate they wanted to support on both sides of the aisle. (Indeed, two of Trump's own children missed that deadline.)
Sanders explained that his vision for a democratic voting system consists of "one person, one vote."
During his remarks in Scranton to 1800 supporters, the Vermont senator continued his call to overturn the Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, which determined that spending by corporations or unions for a political cause is protected under the First Amendment.
On Tuesday night, after conceding to former Secretary of State Clinton, Sanders took a swipe at New York's Board of Elections after reports of long lines and understaffing.
"While I congratulate Secretary Clinton, I must say that I am really concerned about the conduct of the voting process in New York State. And I hope that that process will change in the future and I’m not alone about my concerns. The city of New York talked today about voter irregularities and about chaos at the voting places," said Sanders at a press conference after landing in his home state of Vermont for a 24-hour break from the campaign trail.
Sanders has an evening rally scheduled today in Philadelphia.
Pennsylvania and four other states head to the polls Tuesday, April 26.
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