Clinton and Sanders set to appear together in New Hampshire

Published 9:29 am Tuesday, July 12, 2016

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. — Bernie Sanders is offering his long-awaited endorsement to Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, hoping to transfer the energy of his insurgent campaign into the party’s fight against Republican Donald Trump.

Sanders and Clinton were returning to New Hampshire Tuesday for the first time since he won a 22-point landside over Clinton in the state’s presidential primary. Democrats familiar with the plans said Sanders will publicly endorse Clinton’s White House bid after weeks of negotiations between the Clinton and Sanders campaigns. The Democrats spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of Sanders’ formal announcement.

The joint event at a Portsmouth high school will seek to project Democratic unity before Republicans formally nominate Trump next week in Cleveland. Clinton has campaigned with President Barack Obama and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren in recent weeks, warning Democrats of the threat of a Trump presidency.

Email newsletter signup

While Clinton took only a few days to endorse Obama after the primaries in 2008, Sanders has held out for the past month, seeking to influence the party’s platform and future. The Democratic candidates met at a Washington hotel in June and their campaigns have been in frequent contact since then.

Clinton last week rolled out proposals on college affordability and access to health care, winning praise from Sanders, and the platform agreed to last weekend in Florida includes many of Sanders’ priorities, including a $15 an hour minimum wage.