Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has emerged as the clear favorite to win the Democratic presidential nomination (Paul Ratje)

Washington (AFP) – His message is clear, his supporters enthusiastic and his pockets flush with cash — Bernie Sanders is the clear favorite to win the Democratic presidential nomination.

The Vermont senator looks to be the most likely Democratic candidate at this point to take on Republican Donald Trump in November’s presidential election.

The next nominating contest in the Democratic race is in South Carolina on Saturday followed by “Super Tuesday” on March 3, when 14 states will go to the polls.

These are some of the factors that have put Sanders, a 78-year-old self-described “democratic socialist,” in pole position to capture the nomination that he lost to Hillary Clinton in 2016:

– Clear message –

On the campaign trail, Sanders delivers simple policy positions: tax the rich, raise the minimum wage, health care for all, free college tuition and a battle against climate change.

An impassioned speaker, he rails against “corporate greed,” the fossil fuel industry and corrupt Wall Street elites.

Sanders was asked over the weekend on CBS’s 60 Minutes if the Democratic Party has moved away from the center and towards him on the left.

“In many ways, they have,” he said “And the ideas that seemed radical four years ago are now kind of mainstream.”

At a rally in Texas, one of the states voting on Super Tuesday, Sanders said his campaign “is about beating Trump but it is about more than that.”

“It is the story of the labor rights movement in this country. It is the story of the civil rights movement in the country. It is the story of women’s rights in this movement. It is the story of the gay rights movement in this country. It is the campaign about the environmental movement in this country,” he said.

– Enthusiastic support –

David Barker, a professor of government at American University, said one of things Sanders shares with Trump is a “very committed base.”

Sanders also appears to have managed to expand his 2016 support among young white voters to include that of more Hispanics and African-Americans.

Sanders, during that Texas rally, said he has built a “multigenerational, multiracial coalition.”

“Our movement is about bringing working-class people together, black and white and Latino, Native American, Asian American around an agenda that works for all of us and not just the billionaire class,” he said at the last debate.

In the Nevada caucuses, Sanders won the support of voters in every group under the age of 65 and also attracted a majority of Latino support.

Among his prominent backers is the young and dynamic New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

At the same time, Sanders’ rivals have denounced a toxic streak among his more ardent supporters known as “Bernie Bros,” accused of aggressive and at times sexist online tactics.

The upcoming primary in South Carolina is seen as a key test of the depth of Sanders’ support among African-American voters — key to a Democratic victory in November.

A skilled debater, Sanders has also proved to be adept at using social media and — critically — attracting donations.

Sanders raised $25.1 million in January, the most in a month since he entered the race, taking the total raised to $121 million.

– Indefatigable –

Despite suffering a heart attack in October and having two coronary stents inserted, Sanders is a tireless campaigner 

“Follow me around the campaign trail, three, four, five events today,” he challenged a reporter who asked at the last debate about his health. “See how you’re doing compared to me.”

Born on September 8, 1941 in Brooklyn, New York, Sanders would be 79 when he assumes office, making him the oldest US president ever to enter the White House.

– November election –

Sanders’ avowedly leftist leanings have some Democrats worried that he would prove to be a weak opponent against Trump in the November election.

Trump has already played on lingering Cold War fears among Americans by labelling Sanders a “communist” and referring to him as “Crazy Bernie.”

Expressing the fears of some moderate Democrats, former South Bend, Indiana, mayor Pete Buttigieg called Sanders “polarizing” at the last debate.

“Americans don’t see where they fit if they’ve got to choose between a socialist who thinks that capitalism is the root of all evil and a billionaire who thinks that money ought to be the root of all power,” Buttigieg said.

But a number of polls give Sanders a fighting chance against Trump — a polarizing figure himself.

The latest CBS News/YouGov poll of registered voters, for example, has Sanders up by three points nationally over Trump in a head-to-head race.

Disclaimer: Validity of the above story is for 7 Days from original date of publishing. Source: AFP.