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U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s refusal to debate her opponent Bernie Sanders is “insulting” to voters, the Vermont senator told a large crowd Monday evening in California.
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"I think it's a little insulting to the people of California -- the largest state," Sanders said, addressing a rally on a football field at Santa Monica High School in southern California.
"She is not prepared to have a discussion with me about how she is going to help California address the major crises we face," he added to a cheering crowd that chanted: "She's scared! She's scared!"
The debate was proposed by Fox News last week after the two candidates hinted at the possibility of a debate last month. The Sanders campaign had quickly accepted the invitation while the Clinton campaign continued to delay making a decision.
On Monday Clinton’s campaign issued a statement declining the invitation. "We have declined Fox News' invitation to participate in a debate in California," Clinton Campaign Communications Director Jennifer Palmieri said in a statement.
"As we have said previously, we plan to compete hard in the remaining primary states, particularly California, while turning our attention to the threat a Donald Trump presidency poses.”
A tight race is expected in California with various polls giving Clinton a slight lead over Sanders. However, the self-proclaimed democratic socialist has been investing significant time and money toward boosting his chances in the key state.
The primary will take place on June 7 and a whopping 548 delegates are up for grabs, a significant opportunity for Sanders to narrow Clinton’s pledged delegates lead.
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