Bernie Sanders vows to stay in nomination race

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton greets her husband, ex-President Bill Clinton during a primary election night rally in New York. (Photo: AP)

Mr Bernie Sanders refused to concede defeat to Ms Hillary Clinton Wednesday, vowing to “continue the fight” for the Democratic nomination, despite his rival declaring herself the party’s flagbearer for the United States presidential race.

“Next Tuesday, we continue the fight in the last primary in Washington DC,” the senator from Vermont told supporters in California.

“And then we take our fight for social, economic, racial and environmental justice to Philadelphia,” where the Democratic convention will be held to formally nominate the party’s candidate to challenge Re-publican Donald Trump.

Mr Sanders appeared to ignore the political writing on the wall, after Ms Clinton surpassed the number of delegates necessary to clinch the party’s nomination. Tuesday was the last major date of the 2016 primary calendar, with six states voting.

The former secretary of state extended her delegate lead with wins in New Jersey, New Mexico and South Dakota.