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POLITICS Rogue Valley Sanders' delegates aren't surrendering yet Local delegates will remain 'Berners' unless Sanders tells them otherwise Comment By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm Posted Jul. 18, 2016 at 5:59 PM Updated Jul 19, 2016 at 10:00 AM By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm Posted Jul. 18, 2016 at 5:59 PM Updated Jul 19, 2016 at 10:00 AM » Social News While Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump may be marching toward their respective party's presidential nominations, diehard Bernie Sanders fans are not quite ready to give up the idea that their candidate could still move into the White House. “I was elected to vote for Bernie, and I intend to do just that,” said Talent resident Gerry Paré, who will attend the Democratic convention later this month as a delegate. “For Hillary to win it, she will need 300 of the ‘Berners’ to flip for her.” The Democratic convention starts July 25 in Philadelphia, Pa., while the Republican convention started Monday in Cleveland, Ohio. Paré, who is one of the 36 pledged delegate for Sanders in Oregon, will go to the convention with Medford Councilor Kevin Stine, who is also a Sanders' delegate. Sanders received 56 percent of the Democratic vote in Oregon's May primary. Paré acknowledged that Sanders has endorsed Clinton, but said he hasn’t conceded yet. “Neither one of them has the number of votes to get the nomination,” she said. Paré said she expects the superdelegates will be called on as a last resort. Otherwise, she said it would put Oregon Gov. Kate Brown and other governors, who are also superdelegates, in the politically uncomfortable position of voting against the will of their state. Superdelegates are mostly elected officials and party leaders who are allowed to select their preferred candidate regardless of the outcome of primary votes or caucuses. Paré said the only way she would vote for Clinton is if Sanders tells his delegates to do so. Stine, however, said he has a different read on how the vote will go down at the convention. If you calculate the number of regular delegates, Clinton is well short of the amount needed, he said. But add in the number of superdelegates, and it easily pushes Clinton over the top, he said. Like Paré, Stine said he plans to vote for Sanders unless Sanders says otherwise. Both delegates say it's an honor to be part of Oregon's Sanders delegation. Paré said she hasn't been very political throughout her life, so she was surprised she was selected at a regional convention held in Klamath Falls following the primary. “I was shocked,” she said. “The beauty of the system is that anybody can be a delegate and can do this work.” But going to the convention isn’t cheap — Paré and Stine have been told it could cost as much as $5,000 each. Paré said the hotel alone is $226 a night. She said it’s difficult to stay anywhere other than the hotel because delegates have to pick up their credentials there at 7 a.m. every day. She said she’s trying to raise money for the trip, and someone she knew as an orchestra teacher donated the plane ticket to her. Other delegates have had to miss work or make arrangements for child care, Paré said. Whatever the outcome of the convention, Paré said, she thinks the progressive movement will continue to gain momentum and play an even bigger role in state and national politics, thanks to the grassroots Sanders campaign. Stine said he thinks he was picked as a delegate because of the name recognition from his candidacy in the May primary when he made a bid for Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden's job. Stine said a friend from his Navy days is letting him stay at his house in Philadelphia. He plans to use public transportation while at the convention. While Stine voted for Sanders in the primary and for himself in his Senate bid, he said he plans to vote for Wyden in the November election as well as for the Democratic presidential nominee, even if that person isn't Sanders. “I think in primary elections, you get to make your choice, and then in the general you need to come together,” he said. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 541-776-4476 or [email protected] . Follow him on www.twitter.com/reporterdm . By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm Posted Jul. 18, 2016 at 5:59 PM Updated Jul 19, 2016 at 10:00 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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