Sen. Michael Bennet (D., Colo.) was drowned out by boos during his acceptance speech for the Democratic nomination for Senate in Colorado over his support for Hillary Clinton.
Angry supporters of Bernie Sanders chanted "Change your vote!" during the state convention on Saturday, urging Bennet, who is a superdelegate, to drop his support for Mrs. Clinton in favor of Sanders.
The Colorado Independent reported:
Bernie Sanders supporters targeted U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet during today’s Colorado Democratic Party state convention.
As a Democratic superdelegate supporting former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Bennet has made enemies with the rowdy Sanders supporters who argue he should shift his vote to conform to the majority of Colorado Democrats who felt the Bern on Super Tuesday.
Shouts of "Change your vote!" echoed throughout the main hall of the Budweiser Event Center as Bennet stumbled through his acceptance speech trying to tell fellow Dems he would seek a second term. But stomping feet, jeering and boos drowned him out.
Several times, he paused, pleading with Sanders’ furious delegates to allow him to finish.
They continued to slam him.
Sanders was able to come away with more than half of Colorado’s 71 delegates during the convention. Sanders has won seven primary victories in a row, but still trails Mrs. Clinton by nearly 700 delegates, the majority of which are superdelegates, who can pledge their support to any candidate and are not bound by a state’s popular vote.
Sanders took 41 delegates in Colorado on Saturday, energizing his supporters who trained their targets on Bennet.
The crowd of Bennet’s supporters joining him on stage looked confused as the Democratic incumbent senator had trouble beginning his speech over the unruly crowd.
"Bennet didn’t even acknowledge it, he just kept on with his speech," Greg Wickhurst, a resident of Pueblo, said in a video interview with the Denver Post.
Bennet, who was introduced by a video message from President Barack Obama, refused to tell the Denver Post whether he would change his vote to Sanders, but said the message of the protesters was "very heartfelt."
Bennet, who is facing tough poll numbers in his battle for reelection, called for unity during his speech. His words "the people of Colorado are with us" were barely audible over the Sanders chants of "Change your vote!"
"I am asking for your support today, whether you’re for Bernie or for Hillary," Bennet said. "We will be united behind our Democratic nominee. We will come together as Democrats."
One Sanders supporter reluctantly said he would still support Bennet for senate because "we don’t really have a choice."