YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — Seeking to counteract Donald Trump’s gains in some of Ohio’s traditional Democratic strongholds, Hillary Clinton deployed her former primary rival Bernard Sanders here Thursday, hoping to mobilize millennial and working-class voters five days out from Election Day.
Mr. Sanders has proven to be a powerful ally for Mrs. Clinton, who has far less appeal among the liberal activists that rallied to the Vermont senator’s populist message in the primary race.
“Hillary Clinton is far and away the superior candidate,” Mr. Sanders told the crowd of 350 people here on the campus of Youngstown State University.
The visit from Mr. Sanders comes on the heels of polls that show Mr. Trump has opened up a 3 percentage point lead in Ohio, which is viewed as a must-win state for the New York billionaire.
Mrs. Clinton supporters are concerned she is losing ground in this battleground state because of the renewed FBI investigation into her emails.
Mr. Sanders vouched for Mrs. Clinton, saying she shares his belief in the science of climate change, as well as his quest to appoint Supreme Court justices that will undo Citizens United, raise the minimum wage, expand paid family leave, and promote tuition-free college.
“I am asking you to work as hard as you possibility can in the next five days to see that Secretary Clinton becomes our president and Donald Trump is defeated,” Mr. Sanders said, vowing to pay for the bigger government by forcing Mr. Trump and his rich friend to pay their “fair share” in taxes.
Mr. Sanders is scheduled Friday to make a series of appearances on behalf of Mrs. Clinton in Iowa, where the former first lady also is down in the polls.
Mr. Sanders’ swing through Ohio Thursday followed President Obama’s visit to Columbus Tuesday and comes ahead of Mrs. Clinton’s scheduled return here Friday for a Cleveland event headlined by rapper Jay Z — part of her last-ditch effort to mobilize black voters.
Adam Fuller, professor of political science at Youngstown State University, said Mr. Sanders could help Mrs. Clinton woo working-class voters that are flirting with voting for Mr. Trump.
“Trump is appealing to the union interests here,” Mr. Fuller said. “Since Sanders was also successful during his primary run with union members, he’s doing her a big favor by coming here to speak on her behalf, by lending her some of his working class appeal.”
Mr. Fuller said Mrs. Clinton has struggled to recreate the enthusiasm that college-age students had for Mr. Obama in 2012 and 2008.
“While they loved Obama, they’re not terribly excited about Hillary,” he said. “They prefer her over Trump, obviously, but they may not be excited enough to actually go vote. Whereas Bernie galvanized the millennials. The Clinton team is probably thinking that sending Bernie to speak at our college campus may have the added effect of exciting that voter demographic, too.”
Students here shared a similar sentiment.
“When it comes to Hillary and Trump it is just kind of like a time bomb,” said Marino November, 22, a student from McDonald, Ohio. “I’m just kind of waiting to see what happens. Really we don’t know what is going to happen. But I think if Trump gets elected, the world will laugh at us.”
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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