Bernie Sanders needs money to fly his delegates to party convention

While his chances of being the Democratic presidential nominee are virtually nonexistent, Sen. Bernard Sanders is still asking his supporters for money — but not for himself.

In an email Thursday, the Vermont senator said his campaign needs cash to send its nearly 1,900 delegates to the party convention in Philadelphia in July.

“Our campaign has earned the right to send almost 1,900 delegates to vote on these important issues, but many of them are working folks and the costs of attending the convention are too high,” he said. “So I want to help them get there, because this campaign isn’t about Bernie Sanders, it’s about all of us.”

Mr. Sanders said it’s vital all of his delegates attend the convention in order to influence the party platform. He specifically cited a $15 an hour national minimum wage, formal opposition to the TransPacific Partnership and an outright ban on fracking as priorities he and his delegates will be fighting for in Philadelphia.

Mr. Sanders asked for donations of at least $2.70 to fund his convention plans, though he made clear the money will go solely to delegates’ travel expenses.

“Our power comes from a simple, timeless truth: that when people stand together, there is nothing we cannot accomplish,” the senator said. “And I know that if we continue to fight to get all of our sisters and brothers to Philadelphia next month, we are going to transform the Democratic Party.”