Bernie Sanders is running neck and neck with Hillary Clinton in the last major primary battle

Sen. Bernie Sanders appears to be closing in on Hillary Clinton in California, which holds the last major battle of the presidential primaries early next month.

A new Public Policy Institute survey of California released Thursday found Sanders within 2 points of the former secretary of state, who garnered 46% support among likely Democratic primary voters.

As in other contests, a Clinton win will likely depend on her strength among older voters and minorities.

Sanders held leads among younger voters and more liberal voters by wide margins. But Clinton had a 10-point lead among Latino voters, who make up a larger share of the electorate in California than in most other states.

Despite losing some of its top staffers in the state, Sanders has attempted to make a final stand in California.

The senator has challenged both Clinton and presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump to a debate in the state before the June 7 primary. Both Democratic candidates are pumping more than a million dollars of ads into the state, though experts say the expensive nature of advertising in California call into question the effectiveness of ads.

Though observers contend that a Sanders win in the state would further cast doubt on Clinton's strength as a nominee, it would remain virtually impossible for Sanders to clinch the nomination.

The former secretary of state holds large leads in pledged delegates, so-called superdelegates, and popular votes. And, as FiveThirtyEight notes, she could reach the number of delegates needed to secure the nomination before the polls even close in the Golden State.