Sanders Roots for Debate With Trump

ByJOSH HASKELL ABCNews logo
Thursday, May 26, 2016

With Hillary Clinton's big edge in the delegate math, rival Bernie Sanders is looking for a victory in California's June 7 primary. Although Clinton formally declined to debate Sanders ahead of the primary, another option surfaced Wednesday night: A potential one-on-one with Donald Trump.

"If I debated him we would have such high ratings," Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, said of Sanders on ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"

Trump also told Kimmel he would only debate for a price and if the money would go to "some worthy charity."

Sanders quickly responded on Twitter, writing, "Game on. I look forward to debating Donald Trump in California before the June 7 primary."

According to Sanders campaign spokesman Michael Briggs, Sanders is eager to debate the GOP candidate.

"He thinks a debate is very important to California voters," Briggs said.

This comes after Monday's decision by Clinton to decline Fox News' invitation for a California debate. Sanders has been voicing his frustration about this decision on the campaign trail.

"I had also hoped that Secretary Clinton would have kept her word and agreed to engage in a debate," Sanders said this week while campaigning in the Golden State. "And I honestly hope that Secretary Clinton will rethink her decision not to do a debate. But whether she agrees or not we are going to win here in California."

Related Topics