Sanders to skip AIPAC

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Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders will skip next week’s AIPAC conference, making him the only presidential candidate in either party not to address the major pro-Israel conference. 

The Vermont senator said in Friday letter to AIPAC head Robert Cohen that he could not make the conference in Washington. 

{mosads}”I would very much have enjoyed speaking at the AIPAC conference. Obviously, issues impacting Israel and the Middle East are of the utmost importance to me, to our country and to the world,” he wrote. “Unfortunately, I am going to be traveling throughout the West and the campaign schedule that we have prevents me from attending.”

Sanders said that he would send remarks to AIPAC on Monday and asked the group to give those remarks to conference-goers. 

His letter notes that candidates aren’t allowed to address the conference remotely.

Rival Hillary Clinton and GOP candidates Ted Cruz, John Kasich and Donald Trump will all speak to the conference. 

Sanders is the only Jewish candidate in the race and is running to become the first Jewish president.

Tags AIPAC Bernie Sanders Donald Trump Hillary Clinton Ted Cruz

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