Polls Show Sanders in Tie with Clinton in California Primary

Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders has managed to close the gap with his rival Hillary Clinton, with the latest poll putting him ahead with all Democratic voters.

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A win in California, which awards the most delegates of any state, would shake up the race for the Democratic nomination. Sanders has refused to suspend his campaign despite pressure from the party establishment, which firmly backs Clinton.

The NBC News-WSJ-Marist poll had Sanders with 47 percent support of likely Democratic primary voters to Clinton's 49 percent.

However in a poll of all Democratic voters Sanders is ahead by one point.

Polls tend to underestimate Sanders' actual support, with many new voters turning out to vote for the anti-establishment candidate.

A win in California would not give Sanders a lead in the delegate count but could provide a basis for him to mount a challenge at the Democratic convention in late July.

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Sanders has pledged to stay in the race until the very end. He is expected to make a pitch to party delegates that he is the best candidate to defeat Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, in a general election.

In order to win the nomination, a candidate must secure the backing of 2,383 delegates, meaning the party's much-criticized superdelegates will likely play a critical role in deciding the nominee.

Trump is now beating Clinton in an average of national polls, weakening her argument that she is the party's best choice. Sanders has consistently beaten Trump in head-to-head polls.

Five other states will also hold their primaries on June 7 along with California.