Hillary Clinton may have a nearly 20-point lead in the latest PPP North Carolina poll, but she and Bernie Sanders are both fighting hard here – and coming here on the last day. Why?

Because our delegates divvy up this way: 70 allocated by congressional district, 23 to the statewide winner and 28 “PLEOs” (party leaders and elected officials). So Sanders can pick off some delegates in the Triangle and Charlotte areas, which is why he’s gone to both and why we’ve had all three Clintons all over the place.

The Clinton campaign has to be stirred up, if not shaken, by young voters’ enthusiasm for Sanders. He filled his Raleigh arena Friday, and he spoke to another thousand people who couldn’t get in.

Here’s the best analysis I’ve seen of his appeal, by Peter D. Hart, a veteran Democratic pollster (and Governor Jim Hunt’s pollster from 1976-1984):

“He has hit a perfect dynamic that few of us expected: He is campaigning on issues like economic insecurity and inequality that are central in this election, he is not seen as overtly political, and he has an ability to contrast himself with every other candidate by being frank and authentic.”

Mark that last word: “authentic.”

A young Democratic operative here whom I greatly respect has told me over and over that authenticity is exactly what Millennials are looking for.

Now, Sanders may not look like a typical politician, but he’s running a smart, well-funded political campaign. He’s raising enough money to keep fighting to the last primary, even though the odds are against him winning the nomination. That’s thanks to the PLEOs, also known as Superdelegates.