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State Dem. leaders call on supporters to unite to defeat Trump; some Sanders supporters holding out
State Dem. leaders call on supporters to unite to defeat Trump; some Sanders supporters holding out
ASHWAUBENON -- Supporters of Bernie Sanders in Wisconsin are bucking their party's calls for unity -- saying they're not ready to vote for Hillary Clinton in November.
The Democratic Party of Wisconsin's 2016 State Convention was held this weekend in Ashwaubenon-- and it was one running joke against Donald Trump. Democratic leaders called on the party to come together to defeat Trump -- but some Sanders supporters told FOX6 News they're holding out.
Democratic Party of Wisconsin's 2016 State Convention
Despite the optimism from Democratic Party leaders...not everyone was on the same page at the convention in Ashwaubenon.
"We have far more that unites us than will ever divide us in this party," Martha Laning, Wisconsin Democratic Party chairwoman said.
Buzz Davis
"I haven`t voted for Hillary Clinton period. Hillary Clinton is a war-mongerer," Buzz Davis said.
Bernie Sanders
Sanders' backers scored a victory when Wisconsin Democrats passed a resolution this weekend urging the national party to get rid of superdelegates. They are controversial because, unlike "pledged delegates," they don't have to base their vote on how their state voted, and more than 90 percent have sided with Clinton.
"The problem is, it`s been a stacked deck from the start," Randy Schumann said.
To the delight of his supporters, Sanders vowed to fight on to the July convention -- trying to sway those superdelegates to his side.
2016 presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton.
Clinton, meanwhile, is eager to turn the Democrats' focus to defeating Donald Trump.
"After Tuesday, I am going to do everything I can to reach out to try to unify the Democratic Party and I expect Senator Sanders to do the same," Clinton said.
Russ Feingold
Wisconsin's Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Russ Feingold refuses to say how he voted -- Clinton or Sanders.
"And I`m not going to tell you now," Feingold said.
He needs party unity for his own sake, and has a more upbeat tone about the wounds left from the Clinton-Sanders battle.
"I`m amazed at how united people are about the bottom line -- which is they want to make sure we win the presidency," Feingold said.
Wisconsin Democrats are the sixth state party to call for an end to superdelegates. They are also urging the 10 current superdelegates from Wisconsin to vote proportionally with how the state voted in April's primary -- giving Sanders more.
But the resolutions passed this weekend are non-binding, meaning the national party doesn't have to listen.