Sanders Campaign Press Release - Sanders in South Bend on Sunday Marks One Year on Campaign Trail

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders told more than 4,200 supporters here on Sunday that Indiana in two days could become the next state to get behind the insurgent campaign he set in motion one year ago.

One year ago, Sanders remembered, "We had no political organization, no money, no name recognition outside of Vermont. We were 60 points behind Secretary Clinton. We were taking on the entire political establishment.

"Well, that was then. Today is today," Sanders told the cheering crowd at the Century Center. "We have now won 17 caucuses and primaries and with your help on Tuesday Indiana will be number 18."

"We have come a long way in a year," Sanders added. "The last several weeks polls have had us ahead or behind by a few points. We have come a long way." He also has made the case that he fares much better than Secretary Clinton against the Republican frontrunner Donald Trump.

A key element in the success of Sanders' grassroots campaign has been the remarkable growth of an online fundraising effort that has produced more than 7.4 million contributions averaging about $27 apiece.

Earlier Sunday, the Sanders' campaign announced that supporters made almost 1 million donations in April totaling $25.8 million, far surpassing the campaign's average monthly total of $17 million. In the year since the campaign was launched on June 30, 2015, more than 7.4 million contributions have poured in from more than 2.4 million donors totaling $210 million.

"We have shown the world that you can run a successful winning campaign without being dependent on Wall Street or the drug companies," Sanders told the rally in Indiana. "We do not have a super PAC. We never will have a super PAC."