Updated 5.28 pm
BERNIE SANDERS HAS formally endorsed his formal rival Hillary Clinton to be president of the United States.
Appearing on stage together at a rally at a high school in New Hampshire, Sanders said that he intends to do ‘everything he can’ to ensure she wins the race to the White House.
“Secretary Clinton has won the Democratic nominating process, and I congratulate her for that,” the Vermont Senator said to cheers from the crowd and nods of approval from Clinton.
She will be the Democratic nominee for president and I intend to do everything I can to make certain she will be the next President of the United States.
The former secretary of state is bidding to become the first female US president.
Sanders, an independent Senator who frequently accused Clinton of being part of a detached Washington establishment, also sought to put behind what was an intensely competitive fight between the two.
I come here today not to talk about the past but to focus on the future. That future will be shaped more by what happens on November 8th at voting booths across our nation than by any other event in the world. I have come here to make it as clear as possible as to why I am endorsing Hillary Clinton, and why she must become our next president.
The battle between Clinton and Sanders for the Democratic nomination had been much more difficult than many had anticipated for the former First Lady, but she effectively clinched the nomination at the beginning of last month.
In the time since, Sanders hadn’t endorsed his former rival for the Democratic nomination, but he did take steps over the past month towards embracing her campaign.
The New York Times reported last week that Sanders’ anticipated pledge of support is the result of weeks of talks between the two campaigns aimed at unifying the party.
Sanders’ endorsement will be seen as particularly significant for Clinton if it allows the Democratic candidate to tap into the verve and enthusiasm Sanders had inspired among younger voters.
Sanders frequently outpolled Clinton amongst 18-30 year olds and the support of an energised youthful base could prove invaluable come November.
As part of that drive, the Clinton campaign paid for a Snapchat filter specifically for today’s endorsement.
Donald Trump
Meanwhile, Clinton’s Republican opponent Donald Trump is Indiana, raising speculation he could pick the state’s governor, Mike Pence, as his running mate.
Trump campaigned in Virginia yesterday with potential vice presidential pick Chris Christie, the governor of New Jersey and a former Republican presidential hopeful, amid reports that the billionaire real estate tycoon will choose a running mate in the coming days.
Christie has been a loyal Trump surrogate since shortly after bowing out of the race, and his experience running a populous state could be seen as critical for a candidate who has acknowledged his own lack of political and government expertise.
Pence would bring executive experience as well, along with a perceived steady hand that could help counter the narrative that Trump is too incendiary and quick to provoke.
Former Trump advisor Michael Caputo expressed confidence on Sunday that Trump will announce Pence as his pick during campaigning in Indiana.
Pence, who made a tepid endorsement of Senator Ted Cruz but switched to Trump when Cruz dropped out, told reporters he believes Americans need strong and “clear-minded leadership”.
I’m prepared to make that case anywhere across Indiana and anywhere across this country that Donald Trump would want me to.
Clinton too is shrinking her VP pool, with Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senator Tim Kaine — with whom she campaigns on Thursday in Virginia — Obama cabinet secretaries Tom Perez and Julian Castro, and congressman Xavier Becerra believed to be on her short list.
- With reporting by © AFP 2016
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