LUBBOCK, Texas -
Hillary Clinton has secured enough pledged and superdelegates to become the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee, according to the Associated Press.
In an updated delegate count Monday night, the AP estimates Clinton has 2,383 total delegates, to Sen. Bernie Sanders' 1,569. A total of 2,383 is needed to clinch the nomination. Clinton can solidify her win Tuesday, as six more states vote, including the big prize of California, worth 475 pledged delegates.
"I believe on Tuesday I will have decisively won the popular vote and I will have decisively won the pledged delegate majority," Clinton said. "You can't get much more than that out of a primary season."
Sanders says he's not yet ready to throw in the towel.
"My problem is that the process today has allowed Secretary Clinton to get the support of over 400 superdelegates before any other Democratic candidate was in the race," Sanders said.
In the AP estimate, Clinton has the support of 571 superdelegates, compared to just 48 who said they supported Sanders. In terms of pledged delegates, Clinton has 1,812, meaning she will likely have to rely on the superdelegates at next month's convention to officially become the nominee.
Political analyst Seth McKee says it's not the first time a candidate has relied on superdelegates to clinch the nomination.
"Obama, in a long, drawn-out contest with Hillary Clinton, clinched with superdelegates, just as she will. It's no different," McKee said. "There's just no stock in what [Sanders is] saying about a lack of legitimacy in getting the nomination with superdelegates."
Sanders says he expects the convention to be contested, saying his campaign has the momentum.
"Yes, he probably has more enthusiastic supporters, but ultimately she has more votes, and anyway you cut that, she's been more popular than him," McKee said.
Stuart Williams, with the group West Texans for Hillary, says Democrats have given Clinton a "clear" mandate. He says he is confident the party will unify behind the former secretary of state and against the Republican nominee.
"It's time to circle the wagons because as thoughtful and thorough as this discussion has been, Donald Trump is the real enemy," Williams said.
