Josh Hutcherson of 'Hunger Games' stumps for Bernie Sanders on eve of Iowa vote

With his voice hoarse and raw from the campaign, Bernie Sanders continued his Iowa push to the very end - packing a school gymnasium and insisting to his energised supporters they were poised to make history.

And he did so with the help of Hunger Games actor Josh Hutcherson, who plays Peter Mellark, and who appeared to endorse the Vermont senator.

“It’s great to be in Iowa,” he said. “We wanted to come and see what was happening.”

He added: “I feel like right now this is what we need. We need this revolution. We need someone who can lead us in a way that looks out for all our interests.”

When Mr Sanders took to the stage at Grand View University in Des Moines, the 74-year-old said that back in May 2015 when he had first announced his intention to run for the White House, a poll in Iowa had put him 41 points behind Hillary Clinton.

On Saturday evening, the final poll before voting on Monday night, placed him just three points behind her

“We have come a long way,” declared the senator, as a crowd of up to 1,500 people cheered and chanted.

He said that people had warned that with a viable campaign costing upwards of $100m he would be forced to accept money from outside support groups, or PACs.

Yet he had steadfastly refused to do so. Committed to removing the influence of outside money in politics, his insurgent campaign had taken donations from more than 3m people, each donating an average of $27. At this stage in the election process, his campaign had raised more money than any other in American history.

“To paraphrase Abraham Lincoln, this campaign is by the people, of the people, for the people,” he said.

The crowd chanted back: “Bernie, Bernie, Bernie.”

By any analysis, Mr Sanders’ position at this point in the campaign is nothing less than unprecedented. His policies - which he describes as “democratic socialism” - are perhaps more progressive than of any politician to have reached this point since Senator Eugene McCarthy and his failed attempt to secure the nomination in 1968.

Yet many observers have said that this is both Mr Sanders’ strength and his his vulnerability. His radicalism has inspired his followers, but some independents question whether he could push his agenda through a unfriendly Congress.