Tim Kaine's selection riled many Bernie Sanders supporters. | Getty Sanders delegates exploring challenge of Kaine selection

PHILADELPHIA — Supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders are moving toward a challenge of Sen. Tim Kaine’s selection as presumptive vice presidential nominee, accusing Hillary Clinton of failing to roll back “some of the worst neo-liberal policies” with her choice of running mate.

“There’s serious interest right now and exploration as we speak of a formal challenge,” Norman Solomon, a California delegate and national coordinator for the Bernie Delegates Network, said at a news conference Monday. The network represents about 1,250 of the 1,900 delegates that have pledged support for Sanders.


Kaine’s selection riled Sanders supporters, who accuse the Virginia Democrat of being too closely tied to Wall Street and fault him for his past strong support for trade deals.

This past weekend, a Kaine spokeswoman confirmed the senator’s opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership in its current form, reflecting the same position as Clinton on the pending deal.

Meanwhile, Clinton will fan out into the Rust Belt immediately after this week’s convention to reach out to rural, working class voters, Clinton spokesman Brian Fallon said at a separate news briefing today.

Clinton has stops planned in Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and in Youngstown, Ohio, where she’ll try to appeal to a demographic most targeted by Republican nominee Donald Trump’s populist message on trade.

The message at the opening night of the convention will be on economic growth.

“What we’re focusing on tonight is how to get this economy working for everyone and not just those at the top,” Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook said at the briefing.

