Should Sanders drop out?

Democratic candidates fight for young voters as the campaign winds down

Bernie Sanders, the former political activist and “armchair psychologist,” is in his armchair no longer. He has transformed his political activism into a career, and he is now running for president.

Richard Sugarman, a former roommate of Sanders, was accustomed to his arguing of legislative dreams late into the night. These dreams have now drawn the support of 1,011 delegates in the presidential primaries.

While 1,011 may sound like an impressive number, and is certainly a step up from the repeated election defeats garnishing his early career, it pales in comparison to Hillary Clinton’s 1,712 delegate votes.

The wild, whispy-haired Sanders has toted his heavily-socialist agenda across the nation and has captured the attention and support of the youngest demographic of voters. According to a CNN poll, Sanders earned 83 percent of those voting in the age group of 18-29. While he has locked down this youngest tier, who account for one-fifth of the total electorate, Sanders has failed to appeal to the elder voters or to those of political influence.

As Politico’s Burgess Everet wrote, Sanders has not gained the endorsement of a single Democratic senator. Clinton, on the other hand, boasts endorsements from 40 current U.S. senators. Aaron Bycoffe, a writer for fivethirtyeight.com, created an endorsement chart — updated daily — that keeps track of approvals from representatives, senators and governors.

According to this chart, Clinton maintains support from 159 representatives, 40 senators and 13 governors. Sanders claims seven representatives, no senators and no governors. The support that Clinton is receiving from Washington D.C. looms over the Sanders campaign, and political elite are beginning to call for his withdrawal from the race.

Sen. Barbara Mikulski of Maryland feels that it would be best for the party if Sanders were to drop out.

“It will be almost impossible for Sen. Sanders to catch up,” Mikulski said. “He should do the math and draw his own conclusions.”

According to Jennifer Steinhauer of The New York Times, after interviewing a number of Democratic senators, the left-winged elite find Clinton to be “simply more qualified and more electable.”

With November approaching, Democratic activists hope to turn their attention from their eccentric fellow Democrat to those whom they deem more formidable competition — the GOP hopefuls.

It would be in the best interests of the Democratic Party for Sen. Sanders to bow out — especially considering his supporters’ demographic. College students like to stand behind a cause. For 83 percent of young voters, this year’s cause was to ‘Feel the Bern’ and elect Bernie Sanders in 2016. Should this cause prove impossible, many of these supporters have made clear that they will cast no vote rather than vote for Clinton, according to the Huffington Post.

Adam Burch, 28, a Sanders supporter from Minneapolis, voiced this sentiment.

“I will never support Hillary Clinton,” Burch said. “She stands for everything that I’m against. It’s Bernie or nothing.”

The Clinton campaign needs more time to target such voters in its advertising — with Sanders in the way, this is impossible.

Clinton supporters are calling for Sanders’ withdrawal. If he answers this beckon, voters will likely be subjected to a different tone of campaign materials from the Clinton campaign.

Watch out young voters — Clinton wants your vote, and she is going to be coming your way.

Garber is an opinion writer.