Bernie Sanders pledges to stay in 2020 primary race despite major losses to Joe Biden

Vermont senator pledges to press Biden on progressive issues in upcoming debate

A defiant Bernie Sanders has pledged to stay in the Democratic primary race in spite of recent losses, promising to force Joe Biden to take a stand on the progressive issues that have animated the Vermont senator’s campaign and political career.

In a speech shortly after a second devastating night for his campaign that has left a path to the nomination increasingly slim, Mr Sanders acknowledged that his campaign is losing the “electability argument” with voters, but claimed that the vast majority of Americans agree with his positions on universal healthcare, climate change and the criminal justice system, among other issues.

He also argued that his campaign has been losing elections to Mr Biden in part due to the former vice president’s strong support among older voters – but claimed he attracts younger voters who he said are the future of the country.

“While Joe Biden continues to do very well with older Americans, especially those people over 65, our campaign continues to win the vast majority of votes of younger people, and I am talking about people not just in their twenties, but in their thirties and their forties,” Mr Sanders said, citing exit polls.

“Today I say to the Democratic establishment, in order to win the future you need to win the voters who represent the future of our country, and you must speak to the issues of concern to them,” he continued.

The defiant statement came just a day after Mr Sanders lost in several states on so-called Super Tuesday 2, which fell just a week after Super Tuesday, when the largest portion of delegates were awarded in the primary cycle. Mr Biden was seen as the decisive victor on both days, even as Mr Sanders managed wins in delegate rich states like California and smaller states like North Dakota.

But those losses have already sparked premature obituaries for the Sanders campaign, with analysts arguing that the former vice president’s current polling and delegate lead gives him an all but insurmountable lead on his path to the nomination.

Mr Sanders acknowledged that deficit, but seemed poised to more directly take the fight to Mr Biden, and prove to show voters why he believes he is the best chance Democrats have to take on Donald Trump this November.

“On Sunday, I very much look forward to the debate in Arizona with my friend Joe Biden,” Mr Sanders said, before promising to press him on climate change, healthcare, criminal justice reform and other issues.