Biden strengthens lead in Democratic race with projected wins in Michigan and 3 more states
Joe Biden is projected to score decisive wins in Missouri and Mississippi on Tuesday, dealing an early blow to rival Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders on a night when six states were up for grabs.
Both men were focused intensely on Michigan, the night’s biggest prize. That’s where the Vermont senator scored an upset that lent much-needed credibility to his 2016 primary challenge of Hillary Clinton — and where President Donald Trump’s victory four years was so narrow that Democrats are desperate to show they have the strength to flip it back.
The former vice president made a final push there in recent days, rallying autoworkers and touting a fresh round of high-profile endorsements.
Beyond Michigan, Sanders could get a boost in Idaho, North Dakota or Washington state, where polls haven’t yet closed.
Adding to the tension of incoming results was fears about the spread of the coronavirus outbreak. Both Sanders and Biden hastily cancelled events they’d scheduled for Tuesday night in Cleveland, and the Democratic National Committee announced that an upcoming debate in Arizona on Sunday would be held without a live audience «at the request of both campaigns and out of an abundance of caution.»
Tuesday marked the first time voters weighed in on the Democratic contest since it effectively narrowed to a two-person race between Sanders and Biden. It was a test of whether Sanders can broaden his appeal among African Americans after earlier setbacks in the South. Biden, meanwhile, sought to show that he can keep momentum going after his surprise Super Tuesday turnaround.
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard remains in the race, but has only two delegates so far. She has not qualified for the Sunday debate.
Biden now frequently ticks off the names of six former presidential rivals who have endorsed him just in the past week, saying he is «the candidate that they think can win.» The former vice-president has campaigned in recent days with two of them, Sens. Cory Booker and Kamala Harris, and appeared with Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. All three have have been mentioned as possible vice presidential picks.
Battleground Michigan
With 125 delegates at stake, Michigan got most of the attention Tuesday. Trump won the state by only about 10,000 votes during the general election in 2016, and Democrats are eager to take it back.
A win for Biden might show his party he can do it again against Trump in November. But Sanders presented himself as a credible alternative and aimed to block Biden from piling up a wide lead in delegates to the Democratic National Convention this summer in Milwaukee.
Sanders has predicted victory in Michigan and scrapped a scheduled Mississippi stop to spend more time there. Biden went there less frequently, but sought late-breaking support there and toured an auto plant in Detroit on Tuesday.
Although he has rejected notions he could drop out of the race if Tuesday goes badly, Sanders was visiting polling stations in Detroit on Tuesday, scrounging for late-breaking supporters. He’s said he’s now battling the «Democratic establishment» and scoffed at suggestions that so much of the party’s elite supporting his opponent means Biden is more electable.
«In a general election, which candidate can generate the enthusiasm and the excitement and the voter turnout we need?» Sanders asked. «If you want to defeat Trump, which all Democrats do and the majority of independents do and some Republicans do, we are that campaign.»
