Daily US Times, Washington: Voters in 14 states cast their votes for Super Tuesday. With more than 1,300 delegates at stake, it’s the biggest day on the 2020 Democratic primary calendar. Former Vice President Joe Biden is hoping to ride a wave of momentum — and fresh endorsements — to overtake frontrunner Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Joe Biden has won eight of the 14 states that voted to pick a Democratic White House candidate on Super Tuesday, a remarkable rebound for his campaign.
The ex-US vice-president has swept Minnesota, Oklahoma, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Arkansas, Tennesssee, Alabama, and Virginia.
Super Tuesday vote is so important for the Democratic cadidates as it became clear after today who will face President Trump in November this year.
14 Super Tuesday States
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Minnesota
- North Carolina
- Oklahoma
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
This is a live updates thread. Readers can find all sorts of election updates in the following.
Delegates count
Here’s where the delegate count stands right now:
- Biden: 252
- Sanders: 215
- Elizabeth Warren: 15
- Michael Bloomberg: 4
- Tulsi Gabbard: 1
A candidate must earn 1,991 delegates to become the Democratic nominee.
How is Biden’s performance?
North Carolina and Virginia are crucial because they are key swing states in the 2020 election. Biden won about 53% if the vote in Virginia, shile Sanders remains in a distant second on 23%.
Exit poll data suggests, Biden got large majorities of African-American voters, a crucial bloc for the Democratic party.
The ex-Vice President have won convincingly among the type of suburban voters who pollsters say have been turning away from the current US president.
“We are very much alive,” Mr Biden told a crowd in Los Angeles. “Make no mistake about it, this campaign will send Donald Trump packing.”
Just in: Biden takes the lead in Texas
Joe Biden just took a narrow lead in a tight race in Texas.
Biden and Bernie Sanders are going head-to-head in the Lone Star state, which has 228 delegates at stake.
Why Warren lost Massachusetts
Elizabeth Warren lost in her home state Massachucetts, which a big blow for her. Her poor performance reflects the lack of support a mong her core groups: women, white college-educated voters and liberals.
According to exit polls, the senator drew only around 1 in 10 women voters Massachusetts, which is significantly fewer than projected winner Joe Biden, who led with around a third of women, and Bernie Sanders with 3 in 10.
Around 1 in 5 white college-educated Massachusetts Democrats chose Warren for the nomination — less than the 3 in 10 who voted for Biden and 3 in 10 for Sanders.
and Final blow for her was the liberal voters. The voters who might have split between Warren and Sanders, went strongly for Sanders, around 2 in 5, followed by Biden, around 3 in 10.
Tight race between Biden and Sanders in Texas right now
Drama starts to build in Texas where Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden are in a virtual tie. Sanders has a very narrow lead over Biden with 56% of the votes in.
The state’s result is so important tonight as 228 delegates at stake in Texas — the second for Super Tuesday.
Trump criticized Warren, Biden hits back
President Trump criticized Elizabeth Warren pointing her poor result in Super Tuesday.
”Well, now she can just sit back with her husband and have a nice cold beer!”, he tweeted.
Joe Biden said ”We are better than you. Come November, we are going to beat you.”
Biden wins Minnesota and gave credit to Klobuchar
After his win became clear in Minnesota, Jo Biden said it was possible for the help from Amy Klobuchar and her Monday night endorsement of his campaign.
In addition to recording radio and TV ads between Klobuchar and Biden, the entire Klobuchar field operation – and army of volunteers – helped turn out the vote for Biden today across Minnesota, a Klobuchar adviser said.
“We redirected all of our efforts toward helping Joe,” a Klobuchar adviser said.
So far, Biden has won seven states tonight and became a front-runner.
Utah goes to Bernie
Bernie Sanders is projected to win in the western state of Utah, the state he won in 2016 too.
The state has 29 delegates which will be divvied up among the candidates based on vote count.
But it’s worth remembering that Utah has not voted for a Democrat in the presidential election since 1964, when it picked Lyndon B Johnson, so tonight’s win may not translate to success in November.
Opposition to Medicare for All boosted Biden in Minnesota
Some credit for Joe Biden’s Minnesota win go to Democratic primary voters who oppose a single payer health care system, as well as late deciders and those who have a positive opinion of Sen. Amy Klobuchar.
Two-thirds of voters who oppose replacing private insurance with a government program supported Biden in his bid for the nomination in Minnesota, according to exit polls.About a third of voters opposed the program.
Three-quarters of voters in Minnesota have a favorable opinion of Klobuchar, and of those around half broke for Biden — another sign of how Klobuchar’s departure from the race benefited Biden.
It’s a good night: Biden
Joe Biden is speaking at a rally in Los Angeles. “It’s a good night,” he says, “And it seems to be getting even better.”
“Those who have been knocked down, counted out, left behind. This is your campaign. Just a few days ago the press and the declared the campaign dead. And that came South Carolina. And they had something to say about it.”
“Well, it may be over for the other guy,” he roars, in a veiled swipe at rival Bernie Sanders, who had been leading in the delegate count before tonight.
Biden wins Tennessee and Oklahoma
Biden will do best in Oklahoma – the sixth state he has won tonight. The state has a total of 37 delegates.
Polling last week had suggested Bloomberg or Sanders could do well.
Remember, it’s still unclear how many delegates Biden will get – that’s determined proportionally based on the number of votes.
CNN projects that he will win Tennessee as well. There are 64 delegates at stake in Tennessee.
Hillary Clinton won the Democratic primary and Donald Trump won the Republican primary.
Bloomberg will ‘re-assess’ campaign
Micheal Bloomlberg, who has been suffering to show his performance in Super Tuesday, will “re-assess” his candidacy, his campaign manager says. This comment of his campaign manager sparks speculation that he may drop out in the coming hours or days.
But his top aide cautioned that this reassessment “doesn’t mean much yet”.
Biden will win Arkansas
CNN projects that Biden will win in Arkansas, a state which was previously expected a tight contest between Biden and Sanders. There are 31 delegates in the state.
Hillary Clinton won the Democratic primary, and Donald Trump won the Republican primary.
Sanders: “We are going to win the Democratic nomination”
Bernie Sanders vowed to win the Democratic nomination in a speech to his supporters in Vermont tonight following two contest wins.
“You know, it’s a funny thing, 31 years ago today we won the mayor race in Burlington, Vermont. And we won that race against all of the odds. Everybody said it couldn’t be done. And when we began this race for the presidency, everybody said it couldn’t be done. But tonight I tell you with absolute confidence, we are going to win the Democratic nomination. And we are going to defeat the most dangerous president in the history of the country ”
Tulsi Gabbard is still running
In an interview with Fox News, the candidate said she is not going out. while taking a shot at Elizabeth Warren.
Where is Bloomberg?
It’s been a pretty miserable night so far for former New York mayor Micheal Bloomberg. Despite he won in American Samoa, but any trace of his campaign did not found in California.
BBC went to two Blommberg offices but found completely empty.
Elizabeth Warren isn’t having a good night
It seems the night is not going good for Senator Elizabeth Warren. She and her team know it.
But a top Democrat, who is close to Warren campaign said that they are keeping their eyes – and pinning their fading hopes – on California.
Long voting lines in Texas and California
The two biggest voting states were experiencing long lines in some locations while some voters tweeted out pictures of long lines in Harris County, too.
A spokesperson for the Texas Secretary of State’s office said that as long as voters were in line by the close of polls, they will be allowed to vote.
Judith Sheindlin introduces Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg was introduced vy a familiar face to daytime television watchers: Judith Sheindlin aka Judge Judy.
She described Mr Bloomberg as “manager, a leader, someone who governed with grace, who brought New York City through the tragedy of 9/11.”
Bloomberg thanked Sheindlin for the comments, joking that the two of them were “just going to sit at home tonight” and “have a drink or two” as they watched the results.
Biden and Sanders are early leaders in Minnesota
Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders are leading the race in Minnesota. The state has 75 delegates.
In the 2016 race, Mr Sanders won the Democratic caucuses and Marco Rubio won the Republican causes.
No clear winner in Arkansas
An exit poll from the CBS shows there is no clear winner in the Arkansas- it’s a toss-up between Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders,
The state, nicknamed “The Natural State”, has 31 pledged delegates.
Biden in strong position in Virginia
Joe Biden holds strong position in Virginia and several poll suggested that he is going to win the state.
So far, 63% vote counted while Biden has 54% of the vote – giving him a commanding lead. Bernie Sanders (24%) remains second posion in far behind. Elizabeth Warren 10%, and Michael Bloomberg got 9%.
Biden is estimated to win 55 delegates there, and Sanders 17.
Sanders wins Colorado
Sanders has won the Colorado Democratic presidential primary. The state has 67 pledged delegates. This is his second victory in Super Tuesday. He notched his first victory in his home state of Vermont right as polls closed.
Good news for Biden… but it ain’t over yet
As polls start closing in Super Tuesday states across the eastern half of the United States, the early returns are extremely encouraging for Joe Biden. He is projected to win Virginia, North Carolina and Alabama.
Both Texas and California have yet to begin reporting their results, and those states have more young and Hispanic voters, who have tended to support the Vermont senator. The advantages Biden has shown in states so far will be less important there.
Pete for Biden
After being out of the race, former South Bend, Indiana mayor Pete Buttigieg endorsed Joe Biden.