Murphy, legislators help kick off grassroots effort for Clinton

Washington – Sen. Chris Murphy and other state Democratic officials are helping to launch a phone bank aimed at helping Hillary Clinton win the state’s April 26 Democratic primary.

Murphy said state Reps. William Tong, Caroline Simmons, Pat Billie Miller, Terry Adams and Dan Fox will help establish “Stamford for Hillary” and attend a press conference in that city later today to “discuss Clinton’s plans to break down the barriers holding Connecticut families back.”

“I’m joining grassroots volunteers from Stamford and across Fairfield County today to campaign for Hillary because we know how much is at stake in this election,” Murphy said in a statement. “Hillary is a fighter. She’s exactly what our country and families in Connecticut need right now.”

Murphy, and all other members of Connecticut’s congressional delegation are among 16 “superdelegates” who announced their support for Clinton before Sen. Bernie Sander, I-Vt.,  got into the race.

Up for grabs in the state’s Democratic primary are the 55 other Connecticut delegates. Before Sanders’ campaign took off, Connecticut was considered an easy victory for Clinton. But that’s not a given now.

Sanders had landslide wins in Washington, Alaska and Hawaii on Saturday, narrowing the delegate gap with Clinton, who has 1,243 delegates to Sanders’ 975. When superdelegates are counted, Clinton’s lead grows to 1,712 to 1,004.

The Sanders campaign is trying to woo superdelegates away from Clinton. But analysts say he faces an uphill battle to win the 2,383 delegates he needs to capture the Democratic nomination.