Emmett Hansen II, the Democratic National Committeeman for the U.S. Virgin Islands, decided to shift his support to Clinton after a weekend briefing on her plans for U.S. territories that followed months of dissatisfaction with Sanders’ lack of concrete positions.
His reasons go right to the heart of Clinton's critique of the Sanders campaign. Hansen said that while he’s a believer in sweeping change, he also wants to get things done.
“There are no more windmills to joust against and no more mountains to climb,” said Hansen, a native of St. Croix who was on the Sanders campaign's list of publicly committed superdelegate supporters. “It comes down to one thing: what’s best for the Virgin Islands, to be fully incorporated into the United States.”
Hansen met Saturday with Karen Green, a volunteer Caribbean community outreach lead for the campaign, ahead of former President Bill Clinton's Monday campaign stop in St. Croix, and saw Clinton’s proposals in black-and-white on a campaign fact sheet.
Among Clinton's pledges: giving the territories the ability to vote in presidential elections, and providing the same Affordable Care Act, Medicare and Medicaid benefits that are available in the 50 states.
Hansen said the decision to switch wasn't easy. He had been communicating with the Sanders campaign for months, pushing his aides to commit to taking detailed positions on issues affecting the U.S. Virgin Islands. He said the answers weren't forthcoming. ``I know a million different ways not to answer a question,” he said.
The Sanders campaign didn't respond to a request for comment.
