Presidential hopeful Sanders hospitalized, halts campaign

US Democratic presidential hopeful Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont has temporarily stopped his primary campaign due to health issues. The news was delivered Wednesday by campaign advisor Jeff Weaver, who said: "Senator Sanders is conversing and in good spirits. He will be resting up over the next few days. We are cancelling his events and appearances until further notice, and will continue to provide appropriate updates."

Sanders was hospitalized Tuesday after experiencing chest pains. Doctors inserted two stents after discovering that the 78-year-old had a blocked artery.   

Sanders remains a contender in the current Democratic primary, though he has failed to rekindle the enthusiasm of his strong 2016 bid, in which he was the main challenger to Hillary Clinton, the eventual winner of party's nomination.

Sanders, an Independent, has staked his reputation on left-leaning populist issues such as universal healthcare, free university education and taxing the rich. Those themes struck a chord with young and old alike in 2016, but he has had difficulty breaking out of the currently crowded field of Democratic contenders.

js/msh (AFP, AP, Reuters)

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