Former rival’s star power palpable as he campaigns for Hillary Clinton at University of New Hampshire, in a state he won in the Democratic primary

Hillary Clinton turned to the magnetic power of Bernie Sanders on Wednesday as her battle continued to persuade younger voters to rally to her cause.

For months, Sanders and Clinton were often irascible rivals, as she edged towards the Democratic nomination and he continued to inspire a movement of millennials.

And on campus in the battleground state of New Hampshire, Sanders’ star power was still there for all to see as hundreds of young voters formed a line snaking across campus, which left many to make do with a spot in an overflow room as he spoke.

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But while Sanders has appeared in the past to be a reluctant cheerleader, with the race now entering its final six weeks, he left the audience in no doubt it was “imperative” Americans elect Clinton as their next president.

“All of you know that this is a very tight election. And in fact, New Hampshire could decide the outcome,” he said. “So I am asking you here not only to vote for Secretary Clinton, but to work hard, to get your uncles and your aunts, to get your friends to vote.”

His words were delivered with genuine passion in the state where he chalked up his first primary win, setting off his remarkable underdog run.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Audience members wear campaign buttons at the Durham, New Hampshire, rally. Photograph: Brian Snyder/Reuters

Clinton and Sanders campaigned together at the University of New Hampshire in Durham, where they detailed a plan on college affordability before a crowd of roughly 1,200. The event marked their second joint appearance on the campaign trail, following Sanders’ endorsement of Clinton at a rally in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in July.

The Vermont senator, whose grassroots campaign for the Democratic nomination drew crowds of tens of thousands of people across the country, emphasized the importance of the election by invoking the names of billionaire Republican donors who were dedicating a combined total of more than $1bn on the 2016 race.

“If anybody tells you that this election is not important, you ask them why the Koch bothers and Sheldon Adelson and other billionaires are spending hundreds of millions of dollars to elect their candidates,” Sanders said.

“This election is enormously important for the future of our country. It is imperative that we elect Hillary Clinton as our next president.”

Sanders then joined Clinton for a discussion on their joint proposal, which would provide free tuition to public universities and colleges for middle- and working-class families.



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The staying power of Sanders as a powerful voice among young voters has remained a palpable factor in the election. While the majority of Sanders voters have rallied behind Clinton, polling has found millennials still uneven in their support for the former secretary of state. One recent survey found that a third of voters under the age of 30 said they planned to vote for third-party candidates Gary Johnson and Jill Stein.

Sanders has increased his presence on the campaign trail, along with other high-profile surrogates such as first lady Michelle Obama and Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren, with a focus on courting college students whose priorities include issues such as student loans, campaign finance reform and climate change.

The boost Sanders can help to bring was evident on Wednesday, and in her own remarks, Clinton praised Sanders and his campaign as having “energized so many young people”. Although the contest was at times bitter, the Democratic nominee sought to draw a contrast between the dynamics within the two parties.

“I’m proud of the primary campaign that Bernie and I ran,” Clinton said. “We ran a campaign about issues, not insults.”

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders acknowledge the audience a campaign stop at the University Of New Hampshire. Photograph: Matt Rourke/AP

She added that Sanders was “one of the most passionate champions for equality and justice who I have ever seen”, and referred to the senator as her friend.

Clinton shared her own personal experience with student loan debt, but noted she was fortunate to have found a job after college and did not face the same circumstances as families today who grapple with rising tuition costs. Declaring Sanders as “absolutely right” on college affordability, Clinton said she looked forward to working with the senator to pass and implement their plan if elected president.

Under the proposal, families earning less than $125,000 a year would be eligible for free tuition from public colleges and universities. Clinton’s platform, dubbed “revolutionary” by Sanders, would also enable students to refinance their college debt and make community college free.



To those perhaps reticent to embrace her, Clinton urged them not simply to consider her name but the issues on which she has campaigned.

Highlighting climate change as an example, Clinton said she never thought in her July acceptance speech at the Democratic national convention that she would have to include the sentence: “I believe in science.”

“It’s not just my name on the ballot,” Clinton said. “Every issue you care about it – think about it, because in effect it’s on the ballot, too.

“The next 40 days will determine the next 40 years.”