Bernie Sanders wants to debate Joe Biden again?…

Senator Bernie Sanders plans to participate in the Democratic presidential debate in April if one is held, his campaign said on Tuesday, the strongest indication yet that he plans to continue competing against Joseph R. Biden Jr. in the 2020 primary for the foreseeable future.

The Democratic National Committee has said previously that there would be a debate in April, but one has not been scheduled. The committee has not announced a media partner or a site host — critical elements that are typically agreed upon at least a month in advance. The coronavirus crisis has already upended most facets of the Democratic primary, and there is no guarantee that the debate will take place.

Still, the fact that the Sanders campaign is signaling, for now, that he would be on a debate stage in April is a strikingly public sign of the Vermont senator’s determination to wield political influence and challenge Mr. Biden for primacy despite the former vice president’s nearly insurmountable delegate lead.

“Senator Sanders is still running for president,” said Mike Casca, a top campaign official. “If there is a debate in April, he plans to be there.”

Mr. Sanders has been holding regular live-streamed events to discuss the coronavirus response, including one on Tuesday night with Representative Pramila Jayapal of Washington and several health experts.

Before the coronavirus outbreak effectively put the primary race on hold — most upcoming primaries have been moved to later dates and neither Mr. Sanders nor Mr. Biden is holding any in-person campaign events — Mr. Sanders had soundly lost a string of primary races beginning with South Carolina and continuing through last Tuesday, when he lost contests in Arizona, Florida and Illinois.

Mr. Biden’s decisive victories, and his ability to attract so many demographic groups, have left Mr. Sanders with no realistic path to the nomination….

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