Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, seen here speaking at The Town Hall in New York City on June 23, may soon endorse rival Hillary Clinton, news reports said Wednesday. The Vermont senator may offer his official support for Clinton next week at a joint rally in New Hampshire. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI |
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WASHINGTON, July 6 (UPI) -- Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders said Wednesday he is in discussions to formally endorse his rival, Hillary Clinton, before the Democratic National Convention later this month.
Both camps are reportedly discussing Sanders' endorsement, which could happen at an event in New Hampshire sometime next week. So far, Sanders has publicly stated that he will vote for the former secretary of state but has stopped short of offering his official backing.
Part of the holdup, sources say, has been the campaigns' involvement in negotiating with the Democratic National Committee over the party's official platform, which is expected to be finalized this weekend.
A joint rally in New Hampshire would strategically occur in the Vermont senator's backyard, where Sanders enjoys some of his largest support.
The DNC has been working on drafts of its platform for weeks. Last week, a draft was released that revealed various details on the party's plans for a number of wide-ranging issues, like the economy, terrorism and universal healthcare. Several of Sanders' signature campaign proposals were included, such as a $15-per-hour national minimum wage.
Also Wednesday, Clinton announced plans to make college available at no cost to members of working families, another major pillar of Sanders' campaign.
Sanders hailed Clinton's pledge, saying it would "have a very profound impact on the future of our country."
Under Clinton's plan, free tuition at public in-state colleges would be available to individuals from families that make less than $125,000 per year.
