Bernie Sanders hoping for Indiana victory after Hillary Clinton campaign says it expects to lose

Mr Sanders spoke before thousands of people at a rally in Indianapolis

Bernie Sanders is hoping victory in the Indiana primary after Hillary Clinton’s campaign reportedly said it expected to lose the contest and his rival opted not to campaign here on voting day.

At a raucous, impassioned eve of vote rally in the centre of Indianapolis, Mr Sanders stuck to his core message - that Americans were fed up with the millions of dollars of money that had entered politics, with the nation’s “rigged economy” and with the cost of healthcare of higher education.

Speaking on Monday night at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, built to honour those who died in the Civil War and other conflicts, Mr Sanders urged voters to show the country that people were ready for change. The Vermont senator also took a chance to poke fun at Republican frontrunner Donald Trump and his views on climate change.

Mr Sanders said he was winning the most suppot from young people (AP)

“Trump has made the brilliant observation that not only is climate change a hoax, but a hoax originated in China,” the Democratic candidate told a crowd estimated to be a little under 8,000.

“That really shocked me. I would’ve thought he would’ve believed it was a hoax generated by Mexico and Muslim people.”

Mr Sanders told his supporters that the polls showed his campaign was winning the most support from younger voters.

“What is means is that our ideas are the future of America,” he said, to cheers. “It means that our ideas are the future of the Democratic party.”

An average of polls collated by RealClearPolitics suggested Ms Clinton had an advantage over her rival of around seven points going into voting day. However, on Tuesday morning CNN said her campaign was trying to lower expectations and said she may well lose.

The network said an official said the campaign would not be surprised if Mr Sanders pulled off an upset, pointing to money and demographics. The 74-year-old has has spent $1.8m on advertising in Indiana, according to the ad-tracking firm Kantar Media/CMAG, while Ms Clinton had spent virtually nothing.

The state is also 86 per cent white, according to the US census, a group among which Mr Sanders tends to outperform Ms Clinton. And the open primary allows independents to vote in the Democratic primary, which has helped Mr Sanders in past contests.

By playing down expectations, the Clinton campaign can suggest it is choosing to focus resources on the general election and pivoting away from the primary. Several top Indiana Democrats have reportedly predicted she will eke out a narrow victory, despite the campaign’s decision not to spend money on advertising here.

Even if Mr Sanders wins here, it will likely make little difference. Ms Clinton leads him 2,165 to 1,357 when delegates and super delegates are combined. To clinch the nomination, a candidate needs 2,383 and it is widely assumed Ms Clinton will do this. Mr Sanders’ campaign has admitted it only has a “very narrow” path to victory, though most observers believe he is staying in the race only to try and secure the maximum number of policy concessions from him.

Among those attending the rally on Monday night was 18-year-old Sandra Mendoza. “He is different from all the others. I’m for women’s rights and I believe that people have the right to be here in the US,” she said.

Ben Hendricks said he had been a supporter of Mr Sanders for many years and agreed with him on almost all issues.

Asked whether he would vote for Ms Clinton if she becomes the nominee, he said: “That is something I would have to decide in November.”