Sanders Backers Look To Sway Democratic Politics From Inside

LOS ANGELES (AP) — One of the lingering questions from the 2016 presidential election was whether Bernie Sanders' fervent backers would stay involved and energized.

In California, the answer is yes.

Loyalists to the Vermont senator engineered a show of political muscle in Democratic Party elections in the state last week.

The outcome could help determine the state party's direction, as part of a national push to advance Sanders' populist agenda in the Donald Trump era.

Nurses and other liberal activists, many faithful to Sanders, flooded local elections for over 1,100 party delegate slots.

They claim to have seized a majority of the openings, though the tally had not been finalized Friday.

It's difficult to predict the degree of influence Sanders supporters could bring to a state already known as a Democratic fortress.