Bernie Sanders Begins Mass Layoffs of Campaign Staffers

Bernie Sanders' campaign is going on a diet and moving out west.

In an interview with the New York Times, the Vermont senator said that he plans to let go of "hundreds of staff members" and focus his future efforts on the June primary in California, the last major presidential nominating contest of the season.

The cuts began hours after Sanders lost four of five nominating contests on Tuesday, when staffers working in the states that voted that day were told to look for work outside the campaign, according to Politico.

Read more: Bernie Sanders Probably Won't Win. Here Are 3 Things He Can Still Accomplish.

Sanders and his surrogates describe the downsizing as a natural adjustment to the fact that there are only 14 primaries and caucuses left. But if the race was competitive, the hundreds staffers who are going to be cut would be crucial to organizing in the remaining states required to secure the nomination.

Sanders has been a fundraising juggernaut for the past year, but he's also been burning through cash quickly. It's not yet clear if financial constraints are motivating his cuts and decision to narrow his focus.

Regardless of the exact reason, it's clear that Sanders is shifting gears with his campaign. He knows it's almost impossible to secure the nomination, but that doesn't mean he can't still send a message.