Sanders delegates, Nevada State Democratic Party leaders preach unity

Nevada State Democratic Party leaders and a majority of national Democratic delegates from Nevada who backed Sen. Bernie Sanders for president have reached an agreement aimed at uniting the party following a contentious state convention in May.

The two sides met Saturday under the guidance of U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., who earlier delivered a speech on unity at the party’s state central committee meeting in Las Vegas.

On Sunday, party leaders and delegates for Sanders, I-Vt., released a joint statement stressing the importance of expanding the state party’s reach and inclusiveness.

The May 14 state convention in Las Vegas was marked by clashes over delegate seating and sparked divisiveness among supporters of Hillary Clinton, who won the state’s February caucus and became the Democratic presidential nominee, and Sanders. The state party has said previously that all rules were followed.

The statement released Sunday notes that both parties acknowledge that “inadequate convention time, the tone of certain communications and the lack of mutual respect has been an issue that needs to be and will be addressed moving forward.”

“In the interest of unity,” the statement said, “the parties to the dialogue agreed that vacated state central committee seats will be filled with an eye toward making a concerted effort to include Bernie Sanders delegates and to reach equitable representation of the delegate support allotted to Senator Sanders at the end of the state convention.”

The statement also said Sanders supporters elected to the executive board in coordination with the county chairs of the Nevada State Democratic Party will determine the list of potential candidates to fill the committee vacancies.

The statement is signed by State Democratic Party Chairwoman Roberta Lange, Adam Stuart Littman, chairman of the Sanders Delegation Congressional District 4, and 11 other delegates and officials.