Biden wins Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, Idaho; close race in Washington
By Dan McCaleb | The Center Square
(Worthy News) – Former Vice President Joe Biden won primaries Tuesday in Michigan, Missouri, Idaho and Mississippi to take command of the Democratic presidential primaries.
Voters in Washington and North Dakota also voted Tuesday to add to the awarded delegate count to determine who will face President Donald Trump in November. Those races remained too close to call early Wednesday, though Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders held a 49-42 percent advantage in North Dakota as of 6 a.m. central with 70 percent of the vote counted.
In Michigan, Biden held a 53 to 37 percent lead with 99 percent of precincts reporting. National media outlets projected the former vice president to win the key Midwestern swing state, where U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont edged Hillary Clinton in 2016.
Biden won by huge margins in Missouri and Mississippi. With 98 percent of precincts reporting in Missouri, the former vice president led 60-35 percent. The difference was even larger in Mississippi, where Biden held a 81-15 percent advantage with 98 percent of precincts reporting.
In Washington, the race was virtual tie – Sanders at 32.7 percent, Biden at 32.6 percent – with 69 percent of precincts reporting.
“Thank you to all of our incredible supporters and volunteers across the country – tonight’s victories wouldn’t be possible without your support,” Biden tweeted late Tuesday. “Together, we’ll win this nomination, beat Donald Trump, and take back this country!”
With results from 18 states and a U.S. territory already in prior to Tuesday’s primaries, Biden held a 670 to 574 delegate lead over Sanders.
All told, 352 delegates are in play Tuesday of the 1,991 needed to secure the party nomination at the Democratic Convention in Milwaukee, Wis., in July.
Prior to Tuesday, Biden won primaries in Alabama, Arkansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.
Sanders won his home state of Vermont, as well as California, Colorado, Nevada, New Hampshire and Utah.
Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg all dropped out earlier this month. All but Warren have endorsed Biden.
Dan McCaleb is the executive editor of The Center Square. He welcomes your comments. Contact Dan at dmccaleb@thecentersquare.com.