Bernie Sanders makes his electoral, policy case at election-night rally

Bernie Sanders rallies supporters in West Virginia

(Image credit: John Sommers II/Getty Images)

published 27 April 2016

By the time Sen. Bernie Sanders took the stage in Huntington, West Virginia, on Tuesday night, the networks had already projected that Hillary Clinton won the Democratic primary in neighboring Maryland. Before he ended his speech an hour later, she had won Delaware and Pennsylvania. Sanders told his supporters at the rally that he is doing better against Donald Trump than Clinton, adding pointedly: "And that is something that I hope the delegates to the Democratic convention realize." Sanders beats Clinton among independent voters, he said, and in November — unlike in New York and most of the states voting Tuesday — "the election is not a closed primary."

Sanders continued with a rousing version of his campaign speech, arguing that "this campaign is going to win because we are doing something very unusual: We are talking to the American people, not wealthy campaign donors," and telling hard truths. "We cannot sweep the hard realities of our lives under the rug," he said, repeatedly asking his supporters to "think outside the box."

Along with railing against "the corrupt campaign finance system" and the "rigged economy," Sanders spoke at length about poverty — "when you are poor, you die at a significantly lower age than if you have money" — the need to make hard choices as a nation "and then have the guts to take on some very powerful people." Forty years ago, he told the younger people in the audience, public college was cheap and one breadwinner could take care of an entire family, until the economy became global and technology disrupted everything. You can watch him outline his electoral case below. Peter Weber

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.