Indeed, as long as both candidates take the high road between now and the convention, Sanders’s presence could strengthen Democrats’ chances of holding onto the White House and regaining control of Congress. His campaign has already given the party a much-needed boost: Seven in 10 Democratic voters in last week’s New York primary, according to exit polls, said the nomination fight has energized the party as opposed to dividing it. And while Sanders has indicated that the extent of his potential support for Clinton will depend on her platform in the general election, he has begun using his considerable influence to help elect more progressive women candidates to the House.

In the end, history will not judge the Sanders campaign by the number of votes he won, though he has won many, but rather by how it has shaped this remarkable moment and continues to shape future debates. As Sanders said recently, “When people respond by the millions to your message, then that message is now mainstream. That changes political reality.” Yet, while Sanders has already changed our political reality, he can still aim higher — if not toward the Oval Office, then toward a Democratic Party that is more progressive and therefore more likely to continue the political revolution that he started.

more...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/before-unity-sanders-must-stay-in-the-fight/2016/04/25/35ff380e-0afb-11e6-8ab8-9ad050f76d7d_story.html