theguardian--2020-03-03--Super Tuesday: Democrats cast votes on second most important day of 2020 election – as it happened

Chula Vista , California ’ s mayor endorsed Mike Bloomberg .
The city ’ s assemblywoman picked Elizabeth Warren .
What do the voters have to say ?
The Guardian ’ s West Coast reporter Mario Koran brings us this dispatch : On paper , this should be Bernie Sanders country .
Sanders , the clear front runner , boasts 42 % of the state ’ s Latino vote .
Chula Vista , just a 10-minute trolley ride away from the US-Mexico border , is about 61 % Latino ; nearly half the city speaks Spanish .
But Warren has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ endorsement of Lorena Gonzalez , the high-powered , Latina assemblywoman who represents this district .
Last month Gonzalez joined Julian Castro as they stumped for Warren at a brewery not far from Chula Vista .
Chula Vista ’ s mayor , Mary Salas , appeared to be swayed by neither : Her endorsement went to Mike Bloomberg , adding to a growing list of major US cities whose leaders have embraced the former NYC mayor .
Some of the cities whose mayors have endorsed Bloomberg are also the beneficiaries of hundreds of millions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though Bloomberg ’ s campaign has scoffed at the suggestion that his support is purchased .
A visit to the polls proved that the political view in Chula Vista defies a simple narrative .
“ Mike proved he can run a city .
Realistically , he can take on Trump , ” said 19-year-old Rosalinda Gomez said outside of her Chula Vista polling place .
But her friend , Dafne Ariza , believes Sanders is the better candidate to address the issues that matter most to her .
“ Sanders is for everything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LGBTQ rights , ” Dafne says .
Meanwhile , Xochitl , 76 , said she wants to see better health care and higher wages — a response that tracks with polling that shows Latino voters prioritize health care and wages even ahead of immigration .
As for how Xochitl voted today , “ es un secreto ” , she said .

Maanvi Singh in Oakland (now), Joanna Walters in New York and Martin Belam (earlier)

3 Mar 2020 22.46 GMT Mario Koran Chula Vista, California’s mayor endorsed Mike Bloomberg. The city’s assemblywoman picked Elizabeth Warren. What do the voters have to say? The Guardian’s West Coast reporter Mario Koran brings us this dispatch: On paper, this should be Bernie Sanders country. Sanders, the clear front runner, boasts 42% of the state’s Latino vote. Chula Vista, just a 10-minute trolley ride away from the US-Mexico border, is about 61% Latino; nearly half the city speaks Spanish.
But Warren has made significant inroads here, grabbing the endorsement of Lorena Gonzalez, the high-powered, Latina assemblywoman who represents this district. Last month Gonzalez joined Julian Castro as they stumped for Warren at a brewery not far from Chula Vista.
Chula Vista’s mayor, Mary Salas, appeared to be swayed by neither: Her endorsement went to Mike Bloomberg, adding to a growing list of major US cities whose leaders have embraced the former NYC mayor.
Some of the cities whose mayors have endorsed Bloomberg are also the beneficiaries of hundreds of millions in grant money from Bloomberg Philanthropies — though Bloomberg’s campaign has scoffed at the suggestion that his support is purchased.
A visit to the polls proved that the political view in Chula Vista defies a simple narrative.
“Mike proved he can run a city. Realistically, he can take on Trump,” said 19-year-old Rosalinda Gomez said outside of her Chula Vista polling place.
But her friend, Dafne Ariza, believes Sanders is the better candidate to address the issues that matter most to her. “Sanders is for everything I care about - immigration reform, LGBTQ rights,” Dafne says. Here in Chula Vista, Dafne and Rosalinda, both 19, split for Bloomberg and Sanders.
"Mike proved he can run a city. Realistically, he can take on Trump," said Rosalinda.
"Sanders is for everything I care about - immigration reform, LGBTQ rights," Dafne says. pic.twitter.com/WhZkQph7xC — Mario Koran (@MarioKoran) March 3, 2020 Meanwhile, Xochitl, 76, said she wants to see better health care and higher wages — a response that tracks with polling that shows Latino voters prioritize health care and wages even ahead of immigration.
As for how Xochitl voted today, “es un secreto”, she said. "Es un secreto," said Xochitl, 76 of Chula Vista, when asked who she voted for.
She's here bc she wants to see better health care and higher wages, which tracks w polling on issues most important to Latino community. pic.twitter.com/8j1msTCYhC — Mario Koran (@MarioKoran) March 3, 2020
Updated at 22.48 GMT
3 Mar 2020 22.33 GMT Here are some of the voting issues that popped up in Super Tuesday states Sam Levine The issues come as there is heightened scrutiny on the reliability and security of election machines in America. There is no evidence any of the malfunctions or other issues were caused by hackers or bad actors, reports the Guardian’s voting rights correspondent Sam Levine. Texas , a closely-watched state, had several technical glitches. The state’s voter lookup tool briefly crashed Tuesday morning because of heavy online traffic. It was later back up and running.
, a closely-watched state, had several technical glitches. The state’s voter lookup tool briefly crashed Tuesday morning because of heavy online traffic. It was later back up and running. There were glitches with printers in Bexar county, long lines in Dallas , and a shortage of poll workers in Travis county after many poll workers didn’t show up. The Travis county clerk said one of the reasons people didn’t come to work was out of coronavirus concerns.
, and a shortage of poll workers in Travis county after many poll workers didn’t show up. The Travis county clerk said one of the reasons people didn’t come to work was out of coronavirus concerns. There were also issues with printers in two North Carolina counties that were quickly fixed, the Raleigh News and Observer reported. Democracy NC, a civic group helping to monitor voting in the state, said there were also issues with curbside voting access for people with disabilities.
counties that were quickly fixed, the Raleigh News and Observer reported. Democracy NC, a civic group helping to monitor voting in the state, said there were also issues with curbside voting access for people with disabilities. In California , 15 counties had issues connecting to the statewide voter database, making it difficult to update voter information once people cast their ballots, according to the Los Angeles Times. In Los Angeles counties, there were also some long lines as voters cast their ballots using a new election system for the first time.
, 15 counties had issues connecting to the statewide voter database, making it difficult to update voter information once people cast their ballots, according to the Los Angeles Times. In Los Angeles counties, there were also some long lines as voters cast their ballots using a new election system for the first time. Tennessee voters also faced additional hurdles after tornadoes ripped through the state and killed at least 22 people Tuesday. In Nashville, several polling locations were closed because of the disaster. Civil rights groups asked state election officials to extend voting for several days to accommodate people affected by the disaster.
voters also faced additional hurdles after tornadoes ripped through the state and killed at least 22 people Tuesday. In Nashville, several polling locations were closed because of the disaster. Civil rights groups asked state election officials to extend voting for several days to accommodate people affected by the disaster. In Minnesota, the secretary of state apologized after a staffer redirected voters using the state’s voter lookup tool to a progressive website. The staffer had a “serious lapse of judgment,” Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon said.
Updated at 22.51 GMT
3 Mar 2020 22.25 GMT Vivian Ho You can’t walk by a busy intersection on election day in San Francisco without someone trying to hand you a voter guide from the San Francisco League of Pissed Off Voters, writes The Guardian’s Vivian Ho:
The progressive group that describes itself as “political geeks in a torrid love affair with San Francisco” has been issuing voter guides since 2004 for local, state and national politics. In November, for the first time in the organization’s history, every item the group endorsed won.
But Tuesday’s voter guide had one very prominent item with no position: that of president.
Cynthia Crews-Pollock, who is on the steering committee of the League of Pissed Off Voters, explained that at the endorsement meeting in December, the group was of three separate camps: “One camp of the league said we should sole endorse Bernie,” she said. “One camp said we should endorse Bernie and Warren for progressive unity. Another camp said no, we should not make an endorsement - we should focus on local politics only.”
Since no camp got a majority, the league took the position of no position - which is different than no endorsement. “I think it’s good because progressive voters are not monolithic,” Crews-Pollock said. “Everybody has a different strategy of how to get a progressive candidate in office.”
The position of no position gets tougher, however, with Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar mobilizing their moderate voters behind Joe Biden. But Crews-Pollock is not discouraged. “Forty-six states haven’t voted yet, and the way that Biden wants to spring ahead against Bernie is to have his competition drop out,” she said. “That says that our primary system is broken. So in the primaries, you should vote with your heart.”
Updated at 22.30 GMT
3 Mar 2020 22.13 GMT Vivian Ho Voters fill out their ballots for the presidential primary election at a polling station inside Hua-Zang Si buddhist temple in San Francisco. Photograph: Stephen Lam/Reuters The Guardian’s West Coast reporter Vivian Ho brings us this dispatch from San Francisco: San Francisco is electric on election days. Volunteers are out before the sun rises, waving signs supporting their candidates and passing out voter guides. Voters walk out of polling stations, proudly wearing their red “I voted!” stickers like badges of honor. “I don’t want to get too overly optimistic because I’ve been a progressive my whole life, but this is the first time that any candidate I’ve voted for has ever had this good of a chance,” said Mokai DePolo, 65, as he balanced two large Bernie Sanders signs against his shoulder.
A few weeks ago, Stacey DePolo, 45, registered the website, berniewon.me – it leads back to this New York Times opinion piece. “Because he already won by shifting the possibility of debate, with the movement he’s created, with our revolution,” she said. “Now we have all the candidates fighting over who’s more progressive, whose Green Deal is better than whose Green Deal. Bernie already won, no matter what happens.”
Updated at 22.46 GMT
3 Mar 2020 22.09 GMT Could coronavirus convince Republicans to back public healthcare? Healthcare has been a major – or even the main – issue for voters in the primaries so far and is sure to factor into many Super Tuesday voters’ decisions today. Amid the coronavirus outbreak, even Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill are advocating for the sort of public healthcare that all the Democratic presidential candidates are proposing (in varying forms). Representative Ted Yoho, a Republican of Florida who has opposed the Affordable Care Act, nevertheless advocated for free coronavirus testing and treatment for uninsured Americans, according to HuffPost’s Matt Fuller. “You can look at it as socialized medicine, but in the face of an outbreak, a pandemic, what’s your options?” Yoho said. Lawmakers – who skew older, tend to travel a lot – seem to be especially wary of contracting the disease. BuzzFeed News’ Paul McLeod reports that Bill Cassidy, a Republican senator from Louisiana, was generous with his hand sanitizer.
Mid-scrum on coronavirus Senator Bill Cassidy says that as a gastroenterologist he already washes his hands like Lady MacBeth, then pulls out hand sanitizer and pours some into the hand if every reporter around him. pic.twitter.com/xQwsb2v23l — Paul McLeod (@pdmcleod) March 3, 2020
Updated at 22.20 GMT
3 Mar 2020 21.42 GMT Daniel Strauss A voter casts a ballot in Richmond, Virginia. Photograph: Zach Gibson/Getty Images The mayor of Richmond, Virginia, said Joe Biden’s South Carolina victory was an “earthquake” in the Democratic primary. The Guardian’s senior political reporter Daniel Strauss reports:
“I think in South Carolina there was an earthquake that shook up this race,” said Richmond mayor Levar Stoney. “And it showed that the bedrock of the Democratic, that being African American voters, had a clear choice for the nomination. And his name is Joseph R Biden.” Stoney’s comments come just days after the South Carolina Democratic primary which Biden won by double digits. Since then Biden has enjoyed a wave of endorsements, including from two moderate rivals in the primary, Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar and former South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg, who dropped out and backed him. The victory and endorsements have acted as a jolt of optimism for Biden’s supporters. Asked if Stoney thought former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, one of the remaining other more moderate candidates left in the primary, should drop out, the Richmond mayor said it was up to the mayor. But he said supporters curious about Bloomberg would come to Biden now. “I’m never going to tell anyone to get out of the race,” Stoney said. “That’s for the mayor to choose. But what I recognize that some folks have flirted, dated, dabbled a little with Mike Bloomberg over the last couple months and they’re coming home. They’re coming home to Joe. That is comforting over the last three days, since the Saturday victory in South Carolina. It’s time to stop the flirtation and get serious.”
Updated at 22.35 GMT
3 Mar 2020 21.36 GMT Bloomberg, pressed on his expectations for Super Tuesday voting, claimed that: “If there’s only three candidates, you can’t do worse than that.
But, of course, he can, Richard Luscombe reports from West Palm Beach: After a reporter politely reminded him that Elizabeth Warren remained alongside himself, Sanders and Joe Biden, Bloomberg appeared confused. “I didn’t realize she’s still in, is she?” he wondered. He was also prickly when asked if he’d considered withdrawing from the race after two poor debate performances and tepid polling numbers. “Have you asked Joe if he is going to drop out?” Bloomberg responded. “When you ask him, then you can call me.” Next up: Orlando and a rally-the-troops visit to one of 20 field offices statewide that his free-spending Bloomberg campaign hopes to have operational before the primary. Then it was on to the Palm Beach county convention center four miles from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort for the evening rally-cum-watch party. The former New York mayor is picking up the tab for supporters’ parking and refreshments tonight, dipping further into the $500m war chest he has invested into his campaign from his estimated personal fortune of $55bn.
Updated at 22.36 GMT
3 Mar 2020 21.31 GMT Mike Bloomberg is in Florida, which isn't a Super Tuesday state Bloomberg made a stop at one of his campaign offices in the Little Havana neighborhood in Miami, Florida. Photograph: JLN Photography/REX/Shutterstock Richard Luscombe reports from West Palm Beach:
Bloomberg spent Super Tuesday hopping around Florida, a state that does not vote until 17 March, before heading to an evening rally in West Palm Beach – Donald Trump’s back yard – to await his fate. The former New York mayor has already spent about $35m on TV ads in the Sunshine State two weeks before primary day, and his furious criss-crossing today, while his opponents are elsewhere, highlights the importance to his campaign of Florida’s 219 delegates. First up was the politicians’ traditional photo-op stopover in Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood, slurping on coffee-flavored ice cream from a Cuban-owned parlor on Calle Ocho. Mindful of his surroundings, he slammed Bernie Sanders’ questionable recent comments praising post-revolution literacy programs on the communist Caribbean island. “We will not win Florida with a candidate who sings the praises of Fidel Castro and downplays the atrocities he has committed in Cuba,” Bloomberg said. “Some of those comments are hurtful and offensive to [those] who have come here to start a new life.”
Updated at 22.38 GMT
3 Mar 2020 21.20 GMT Sam Levine Minnesota’s top election official apologized Tuesday after a staffer redirected voters to a progressive group’s website when they tried to look up their polling locations Steve Simon, Minnesota’s secretary of state, said the staffer had a “serious lapse of judgment”. The staffer linked to the website after the secretary of state’s pollfinder website went down on Tuesday. The office planned to go to a non-partisan backup, but the staffer diverted from that plan and linked to a poll location finder on boldprogressives.org. The website belongs to the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, which backs Senator Elizabeth Warren. The link was up for 17 minutes, Simon said in a statement.
“The moment this error was discovered, we corrected the link,” Simon, a Democrat, said in a statement. “Anyone who knows me knows that I place the highest possible value on the nonpartisanship of this office, and I deeply regret this error.”
Updated at 21.30 GMT
3 Mar 2020 21.08 GMT Vivian Ho While Biden was inside meeting with supporters, dozens of Bernie Sanders supporters rallied and chanted outside Buttercup Diner
“Bernie has historically been the candidate to fight for the folks that we fight for on a daily basis, sitting across from us in our offices, sitting across from us as we’re doing radical sidewalk therapy,” said Danielle Herrera, an associate therapist at the Harm Reduction Therapy Center. “He’s been working for them since the beginning of his political campaign and we support that.”
Herrera and her two coworkers work near Buttercup Diner, and came out when they heard Biden was going to stop by. They joined the Bernie supporters when they saw them rallying, waving “Not Me, Us” signs in support.
Leticia Brown, another therapist with the Harm Reduction Therapy Center, said as a Bernie supporter, she has some concern about the recent momentum behind Biden with the Buttigieg and Klobuchar endorsements.
“But I’m not worried in the sense that we’ve had folks that we thought were longshots before,” Brown said. “We had Barack Obama in the presidency and I remember when he announced that he was going to run, I thought, this is too soon. This is too early. Bernie, the numbers, the math is behind him. Things are being pulled in ways when it’s not just a fringe movement. People are impacted by all the things that he talks about. For us, if we fall into fear and worry, then we are just going to keep doing the same thing with the same results. Just having hope and believing this can happen needs to be a driving force for people going to the ballots today.”
Updated at 21.17 GMT
3 Mar 2020 21.05 GMT Biden meets and greets voters in Oakland, California Vivian Ho Joe Biden greets restaurant patrons at Buttercup Diner in Oakland, California. Photograph: Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images Dozens of Biden supporters squeezed in with members of the press at Buttercup Diner in Oakland, California, for Joe Biden to make his first of two appearances in California today. Capt “Sully” Sullenberger, the pilot who emergency-landed a plane on the Hudson river, and Oakland mayor Libby Schaaf were among the local big names to welcome Biden to Oakland.
After ordering a slice of coconut cream pie, Biden shook hands and took selfies with supporters at the diner. “The mayor was like, ‘This is one of our brightest stars, a small-business owner,’ and he was like, ‘What do you sell,’ and I said, ‘I sell sex toys,’ and he was like, ‘I got to come by!’” said Nenner Joiner, owner of Feelmore, the first black-owned sex shop in Oakland.
Joiner voted for Biden because “we’re going to make sure that the next candidate that gets in there is actually going to win.”
“It’s not just the next person to win – I like his morals, I like his values, I like his judgments,” Joiner said. “Let’s just hope that he also has the relationships to build a better future for us.”
Updated at 21.16 GMT
3 Mar 2020 20.55 GMT Sam Levine In Texas, there were long waits and a few glitches, the Guardian’s voting rights reporter Sam Levine writes: In Dallas, one voter told WFAA he waited for two hours at the Fretz Park branch library. Another voter told the station he was leaving without casting a ballot after waiting an hour in line. Some folks waiting up to two hours to cast their vote at Fretz Park Library in Dallas, reporting technical problems with machines. Voters encouraged to go to other polling locations. #SuperTuesday #texas #Election2020 @wfaa pic.twitter.com/Wso9zojHD3 — David Schechter (@DavidSchechter) March 3, 2020 In Travis county, home of Austin, the county clerk said voting had gotten off to a “rocky start” because pollworkers hadn’t shown up for work. One of the reasons they weren’t showing up, the clerk said, was out of concerns over the coronavirus.
In Bexar county, home of San Antonio, there were issues when voting first started because of difficulties connecting to printers at the precinct, said Jacque Callanen, the county election administrator. One polling location had no power, leaving the machines operating on batteries, KTSA reported.
Updated at 22.47 GMT
3 Mar 2020 20.36 GMT Sam Levin The Guardian’s Los Angeles correspondent Sam Levin has been chatting with voters in Koreatown, where there’s a lot of enthusiasm for Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, and also some fear about Joe Biden’s recent rise: “I’ve never felt like I trusted a political candidate before,” said Nat Tereshchenko, a 23 year old who works for a union and voted for Sanders. “Our system just doesn’t care about working-class people. To see the way he’s mobilized people who haven’t voted before means so much ... What he is proposing is not all that radical. I want to push his ideas even further.” Nat Tereshchenko, 23, works for a union, voted for Bernie: "I've never felt like I trusted a political candidate before. Our system just doesn't care about working class people. To see the way he's mobilized people who haven't voted before means so much..That's me not us.." (con) pic.twitter.com/d8SjUtlLZs — Sam Levin (@SamTLevin) March 3, 2020 Tereshchenko said they were worried about Biden and frustrated Warren was still in the race: “It makes me scared. If Biden secures the nomination, we will definitely have Trump.”
Nelson Cole, 26, who works for a literary manager and also voted for Sanders, said he was hopeful that Sanders or Warren would win: “Seeing the panic about Bernie shows just how much excitement there is for this new direction. If it’s Bernie or Warren, I think we’ll hear them talk more about the issues and less about the distractions.” He said he was encouraged by the turnout in the voter center: “I’m seeing a lot of young people out here, so I’m hoping for the best.”
Nelson Cole, 26, works for literary manager. Voted for Bernie: "Seeing the panic about Bernie shows just how much excitement there is for this new direction. If it's Bernie or Warren, I think we'll hear them talk more about the issues and less about the distractions." pic.twitter.com/NrL88Gi9zN — Sam Levin (@SamTLevin) March 3, 2020 Pooja Nair, a 32-year-old lawyer, voted for Warren and was once in her class when the senator was a professor: “She has a path forward. I think it’s narrow, but I don’t think it’s out of the question. The field just narrowed. I believe in the primary, you vote for the candidate you believe in.” She said most of her friends were choosing between Biden and Sanders: “Any Democrat will have a much more pro-science attitude. That’s what we need during a global health crisis.”
Pooja Nair, 32, attorney, voted for Warren, was once in her class: "She has a path forward. I think it's narrow, but I don't think it's out of the question. The field just narrowed. I believe in the primary, you vote for the candidate you believe in..." (con) pic.twitter.com/sdjefMBAjp — Sam Levin (@SamTLevin) March 3, 2020
Updated at 20.41 GMT
3 Mar 2020 20.26 GMT Ed Pilkington In Oxford, England, Bernie Sanders’ brother Larry has cast his absentee ballot ... the Guardian US chief reporter Ed Pilkington writes: Larry Sanders (@Sanders4Health) casting his vote for his brother @BernieSanders @RAIOxford this morning #SuperTuesday #DemocratsAbroad pic.twitter.com/0klREmZJxr — Rothermere American Institute (@RAIOxford) March 3, 2020 Larry Sanders, a Green Party spokesperson in the UK, has been feeling “the Bernard” today.
The Brooklyn-born politician, 84, who has lived in the UK since the late 1960s, has just participated in the Democrats Abroad primary. He voted in Oxford for his younger brother who he calls Bernard, or Bernie to you and me.
“Bernard’s policies are very mainstream,” he told the Oxford Mail outside the polling station.
Asked whether he’d be tempted to move back to the US were his brother to win in November, he replied: “I’d be tempted to visit a lot”.
Though the Sanders brothers have been separated by the Atlantic for more than 50 years, they have a special bond. At the Democratic National Convention in 2016, Larry cast the delegates vote of Democrats Abroad for his brother, giving a tearful speech about how proud their parents would have been of Bernie’s achievements.
Updated at 20.42 GMT
3 Mar 2020 20.17 GMT David Smith Joe Biden is hoping his success in South Carolina can spill over into North Carolina, the Guardian’s David Smith reports from Charlotte. But the former vice-president is facing a stiff challenge from Bernie Sanders: At voting place in Charlotte, North Carolina, where David and Lisa Ruch both voted for Bernie Sanders. David says: “I’m charged by his connection with the people and how he’s trying to build a people’s movement rather than a corporate agenda.” pic.twitter.com/Tn0pglu9so — David Smith (@SmithInAmerica) March 3, 2020 David and Lisa Ruch voted for Sanders at a polling place at the Wells Fargo Sense Science Garden in rainy Charlotte on Tuesday.
“I just feel we’re in a place where we need a lot of change,” said Lisa, 59, a real estate agent. “We need someone for the people, not a self-promoting president any more. We need change in health care and Bernie can get it done.”
Lisa had considered Biden but admitted: “I’m not sure about his capability in the long term. There’s something a little off.”
Mike Bloomberg had several signs outside the voting place but Lisa was unimpressed: “I feel like he’s a Republican trying to be a Democrat to win an election. He’s just another Donald Trump buying his way in.”
Her husband David, 66, a therapist and life coach, agreed: “I don’t like him. He is certainly a poster child for money in politics.”
David explained his vote for Sanders: “I’m charged by his connection with the people and how he’s trying to build a people’s movement rather than a corporate agenda. He’s been in government a long time fighting for the little guy.”
Updated at 20.28 GMT


theguardian--2020-03-03--Super Tuesday: live results from all 14 states

There are 52 pledged delegates up for grabs in Alabama ’ s Democratic presidential primary vote , where the opioid crisis , healthcare and government corruption rank among the top voting issues .
Donald Trump won the traditionally red state convincingly in the US election in 2016 .
There are 31 pledged delegates available in Arkansas ’ s Democratic presidential primary vote , where candidates have been campaigning on rural infrastructure , healthcare , the economy and education .
Donald Trump won the traditionally red state convincingly in the US election in 2016 .
There are 415 pledged delegates up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential primary vote on Super Tuesday , more than any other state .
Income inequality , homelessness , healthcare , immigration , climate change and the economy are some of the key issues for Democratic voters in the state .
Hillary Clinton won the state convincingly in the 2016 US election .
There are 67 pledged delegates up for grabs in Colorado ’ s Democratic presidential primary vote , where voters rank healthcare , the economy , housing costs and education as some of the key issues .
Hillary Clinton won this competitive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There are 24 pledged delegates available in Maine ’ s Democratic presidential primary vote , where voters rank healthcare , corruption , the economy , and climate change as some of the key issues .
Hillary Clinton won this state in the US election in 2016 .
There are 91 pledged delegates up for grabs in Massachusetts ’ s Democratic presidential primary vote , where voters rank healthcare , the economy and the environment as key issues .
Hillary Clinton won this reliably blue state in the 2016 US election .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Democratic presidential primary vote , where voters rank healthcare , climate change and the economy as key issues .
Hillary Clinton won this competitive state in the 2016 US election .
There are 110 pledged delegates up for grabs in North Carolina ’ s Democratic presidential primary vote , where voters rank healthcare , criminal justice reform , education and the economy as key issues .
Donald Trump won this swing state in the 2016 US election .
There are 37 pledged delegates up for grabs in Oklahoma ’ s Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ healthcare , jobs and the economy as key issues .
Donald Trump won this red state convincingly in the 2016 US election , as has every other Republican candidate since 1968 .
There are 64 pledged delegates available in Tennessee ’ s Democratic presidential primary vote , where voters rank jobs , healthcare , the economy and education as key issues .
Donald Trump won this red state convincingly in the 2016 US election .
There are 228 pledged delegates available in Texas ’ s Democratic presidential primary vote , where voters rank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ education as key issues .
Donald Trump won this increasingly competitive state convincingly in the 2016 US election .
There are 29 pledged delegates up for grabs in Utah ’ s Democratic presidential primary vote , where voters rank healthcare , education and the economy as key issues .
Bernie Sanders won the primary against Hillary Clinton here in 2016 , but Donald Trump won the red state convincingly in the 2016 US election .
There are 16 pledged delegates available in Vermont ’ s Democratic presidential primary vote , where voters rank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Hillary Clinton won Sanders ’ s home state convincingly in the 2016 US election .
There are 99 pledged delegates available in Virginia ’ s Democratic presidential primary vote , where voters rank healthcare , the high cost of prescription drugs and the economy as key issues .
Hillary Clinton won this competitive state convincingly in the 2016 US election .

Juweek Adolphe, Peter Andringa, Seán Clarke, Niko Kommenda and Enjoli Liston

Alabama
There were 52 pledged delegates up for grabs in Alabama’s Democratic presidential primary vote, where the opioid crisis, healthcare and government corruption rank among the top voting issues. Donald Trump won the traditionally red state convincingly in the US election in 2016.
Still loading...
Arkansas
There were 31 pledged delegates available in Arkansas’s Democratic presidential primary vote, where candidates have been campaigning on rural infrastructure, healthcare, the economy and education. Donald Trump won the traditionally red state convincingly in the US election in 2016.
Still loading...
California
There are 415 pledged delegates up for grabs in California’s Democratic presidential primary vote on Super Tuesday, more than any other state. Income inequality, homelessness, healthcare, immigration, climate change and the economy are some of the key issues for Democratic voters in the state. Hillary Clinton won the state convincingly in the 2016 US election.
Still loading...
Colorado
There were 67 pledged delegates up for grabs in Colorado’s Democratic presidential primary vote, where voters rank healthcare, the economy, housing costs and education as some of the key issues. Hillary Clinton won this competitive state in the US election in 2016.
Still loading...
Maine
There are 24 pledged delegates available in Maine’s Democratic presidential primary vote, where voters rank healthcare, corruption, the economy, and climate change as some of the key issues. Hillary Clinton won this state in the US election in 2016.
Still loading...
Massachusetts
There were 91 pledged delegates up for grabs in Massachusetts’s Democratic presidential primary vote, where voters rank healthcare, the economy and the environment as key issues. Hillary Clinton won this reliably blue state in the 2016 US election.
Still loading...
Minnesota
There were 75 pledged delegates available in Minnesota’s Democratic presidential primary vote, where voters rank healthcare, climate change and the economy as key issues. Hillary Clinton won this competitive state in the 2016 US election.
Still loading...
North Carolina
There were 110 pledged delegates up for grabs in North Carolina’s Democratic presidential primary vote, where voters rank healthcare, criminal justice reform, education and the economy as key issues. Donald Trump won this swing state in the 2016 US election.
Still loading...
Oklahoma
There were 37 pledged delegates up for grabs in Oklahoma’s Democratic presidential primary vote, where voters rank healthcare, jobs and the economy as key issues. Donald Trump won this red state convincingly in the 2016 US election, as has every other Republican candidate since 1968.
Still loading...
Tennessee
There were 64 pledged delegates available in Tennessee’s Democratic presidential primary vote, where voters rank jobs, healthcare, the economy and education as key issues. Donald Trump won this red state convincingly in the 2016 US election.
Still loading...
Texas
There are 228 pledged delegates available in Texas’s Democratic presidential primary vote, where voters rank healthcare, the economy, immigration and education as key issues. Donald Trump won this increasingly competitive state convincingly in the 2016 US election.
Still loading...
Utah
There were 29 pledged delegates up for grabs in Utah’s Democratic presidential primary vote, where voters rank healthcare, education and the economy as key issues. Bernie Sanders won the primary against Hillary Clinton here in 2016, but Donald Trump won the red state convincingly in the 2016 US election.
Still loading...
Vermont
There were 16 pledged delegates available in Vermont’s Democratic presidential primary vote, where voters rank healthcare and the economy as key issues. Hillary Clinton won Sanders’s home state convincingly in the 2016 US election.
Still loading...
Virginia
There were 99 pledged delegates available in Virginia’s Democratic presidential primary vote, where voters rank healthcare, the high cost of prescription drugs and the economy as key issues. Hillary Clinton won this competitive state convincingly in the 2016 US election.


theguardian--2020-03-03--Buttigieg, the first openly gay presidential candidate, was hated by the left. Why? | Aaron Hicklin

The day after Pete Buttigieg won Iowa , the writer Mark Harris , who is married to the playwright Tony Kushner , tweeted : “ Even if you support someone else , as I do , the fact that a gay man can win a state caucus for President is a welcome milestone.
” Iowa has long been something of an outlier – in 2004 it was among the few Republican controlled states that rejected a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage – but the idea that an openly gay man could win the Democratic caucus there took most Americans by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as Harris pointed out , was clear – or should have been .
The fact that it needed stating said everything about this strange , emotional , deeply divided campaign .
Like me , Harris is a Gen Xer who can remember the Reagan-Thatcher years , and who witnessed a new identity politics emerge from the devastation of Aids .
Many of those people saw friends cut down in the prime of life .
They went to paupers ’ funerals for colleagues long abandoned by their parents .
They witnessed a criminal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by snarky jokes about a “ gay plague ” .
In the UK , when I was at college , gay men were still being arrested for kissing in public .
We had to wait until we were five years older than our straight counterparts to have sex .
For those among us who can recall a not-too-distant time when going into a gay bar still felt dangerous , watching a gay presidential candidate get so far while being mercilessly pilloried has been a disorienting experience .
It was as if our own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very moment we were learning to fly .
Buttigieg did not deserve unconditional support – no one does – and in debates he had to stand on his record , as all candidates must .
Allegations that he ’ d sided with white police officers over the firing of South Bend ’ s first black police chief , and that the city ’ s economic growth had bypassed black communities , stuck hard .
When he abandoned the race on Sunday it was a tacit recognition that in spite of his ambitious Douglass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he had not swayed minds .
His lack of traction with black voters , though in the end about the same as for Elizabeth Warren , remained his achilles heel to the end .
Yet whatever critics thoughts of his record in South Bend , much of the conversation was colored by lurid characterizations of the way he chose to present his gay identity .
Early in the campaign , a Slate columnist characterized Buttigieg as having “ sturdy ties to straight culture ” , whatever that means .
Then , last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then deleted , an essay by the novelist Dale Peck which excoriated Buttigieg as “ not the same kind of gay ” as Peck , and by implication many other gay men .
The piece was widely condemned , but it also presaged what has become a commonplace meme on political Twitter : Buttigieg as a gay Uncle Tom whose success merely reflects his servility to the status quo .
Although there was widespread outrage when rightwing pundit Rush Limbaugh claimed that a gay man who kissed his husband onstage could not win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , on the left that this kind of critique has flourished .
Some of that reflects the trajectory of a movement that has become an ever-expanding umbrella for marginalized communities .
Although a white gay man , Matthew Shepard , remains an enduring symbol of homophobic violence , the greater challenges faced by people of color and transgender women of color in particular now preoccupies the LGBTQ+ movement , and rightly so .
In a society where a show such as Modern Family can be ABC ’ s longest-running comedy series , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scant five years ago – increasingly seems pedestrian or even bourgeois .
In that frame , Buttigieg ’ s military background and expression of faith read as simulacra of straight culture .
Buttigieg ’ s centrist emphasis on bringing the country together also struck the wrong chord .
In the algorithmic Twitter ghetto in which many Buttigieg detractors live , that kind of talk just sounds like more of the same .
We tell ourselves that politics is a line from left to right , or vice-versa , but lately you ’ d @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s not , after all , a circle : in 2016 some Sanders supporters , in a grotesque echo of Donald Trump ’ s rallies , chanted “ lock her up ” at the mention of Hillary Clinton .
Buttigieg , who supports reparations for descendants of enslaved people , scrapping the electoral college , and has an aggressive plan to make the US carbon neutral , is dismissed as a neoliberal barely distinguishable from the president .
For those with long memories , that kind of lazy generalization is troublesome .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Al Gore when he was running against George W Bush .
Instead , many on the left voted for the third-party candidate Ralph Nader , who received almost 100,000 votes in Florida , helping to hand that contested state to Bush by a whisker , and with it the presidency .
It ’ s important to hold candidates to high standards , but purity contests can backfire in unintended ways .
• None Aaron Hicklin was editor-in-chief of Out magazine from 2006-2018

The day after Pete Buttigieg won Iowa, the writer Mark Harris, who is married to the playwright Tony Kushner, tweeted: “Even if you support someone else, as I do, the fact that a gay man can win a state caucus for President is a welcome milestone.”
Iowa has long been something of an outlier – in 2004 it was among the few Republican controlled states that rejected a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage – but the idea that an openly gay man could win the Democratic caucus there took most Americans by surprise. That it was a milestone, as Harris pointed out, was clear – or should have been. The fact that it needed stating said everything about this strange, emotional, deeply divided campaign.
Like me, Harris is a Gen Xer who can remember the Reagan-Thatcher years, and who witnessed a new identity politics emerge from the devastation of Aids. Many of those people saw friends cut down in the prime of life. They went to paupers’ funerals for colleagues long abandoned by their parents. They witnessed a criminal and deadly silence from Washington, compounded by snarky jokes about a “gay plague”. In the UK, when I was at college, gay men were still being arrested for kissing in public. We had to wait until we were five years older than our straight counterparts to have sex.
For those among us who can recall a not-too-distant time when going into a gay bar still felt dangerous, watching a gay presidential candidate get so far while being mercilessly pilloried has been a disorienting experience. It was as if our own community was clipping our wings at the very moment we were learning to fly.
It was as if our own community was clipping our wings at the very moment we were learning to fly
Buttigieg did not deserve unconditional support – no one does – and in debates he had to stand on his record, as all candidates must. Allegations that he’d sided with white police officers over the firing of South Bend’s first black police chief, and that the city’s economic growth had bypassed black communities, stuck hard. When he abandoned the race on Sunday it was a tacit recognition that in spite of his ambitious Douglass Plan, a manifesto for black empowerment, he had not swayed minds. His lack of traction with black voters, though in the end about the same as for Elizabeth Warren, remained his achilles heel to the end.
Yet whatever critics thoughts of his record in South Bend, much of the conversation was colored by lurid characterizations of the way he chose to present his gay identity.
Early in the campaign, a Slate columnist characterized Buttigieg as having “sturdy ties to straight culture”, whatever that means. Then, last July, the New Republic published, then deleted, an essay by the novelist Dale Peck which excoriated Buttigieg as “not the same kind of gay” as Peck, and by implication many other gay men. The piece was widely condemned, but it also presaged what has become a commonplace meme on political Twitter: Buttigieg as a gay Uncle Tom whose success merely reflects his servility to the status quo.
Although there was widespread outrage when rightwing pundit Rush Limbaugh claimed that a gay man who kissed his husband onstage could not win the presidency, it is, perversely, on the left that this kind of critique has flourished. Some of that reflects the trajectory of a movement that has become an ever-expanding umbrella for marginalized communities. Although a white gay man, Matthew Shepard, remains an enduring symbol of homophobic violence, the greater challenges faced by people of color and transgender women of color in particular now preoccupies the LGBTQ+ movement, and rightly so. In a society where a show such as Modern Family can be ABC’s longest-running comedy series, a married gay man – though impossible a scant five years ago – increasingly seems pedestrian or even bourgeois. In that frame, Buttigieg’s military background and expression of faith read as simulacra of straight culture. Buttigieg’s centrist emphasis on bringing the country together also struck the wrong chord. In the algorithmic Twitter ghetto in which many Buttigieg detractors live, that kind of talk just sounds like more of the same.
We tell ourselves that politics is a line from left to right, or vice-versa, but lately you’d be forgiven for wondering if it’s not, after all, a circle: in 2016 some Sanders supporters, in a grotesque echo of Donald Trump’s rallies, chanted “lock her up” at the mention of Hillary Clinton. Buttigieg, who supports reparations for descendants of enslaved people, scrapping the electoral college, and has an aggressive plan to make the US carbon neutral, is dismissed as a neoliberal barely distinguishable from the president.
For those with long memories, that kind of lazy generalization is troublesome. In 2000, people were similarly dismissive of Al Gore when he was running against George W Bush. Instead, many on the left voted for the third-party candidate Ralph Nader, who received almost 100,000 votes in Florida, helping to hand that contested state to Bush by a whisker, and with it the presidency. It’s important to hold candidates to high standards, but purity contests can backfire in unintended ways.


theguardian--2020-03-03--Mike Pence shouldn't lead the coronavirus taskforce. He can't be trusted | Lucky Tran

To effectively contain an outbreak , government decisions must be based on saving lives , not scoring political points .
Last week , the White House announced that the vice-president , Mike Pence , will lead the coronavirus task force .
The administration has been criticized for its handling of the epidemic , and the intent of this press conference was to show the world that top officials are taking the situation seriously .
It did the opposite .
Pence ’ s public health record is disastrous .
As the governor of Indiana , Pence was responsible for the largest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slashed public health spending , triggering the closure of HIV testing sites .
Against the advice of scientists , he banned needle exchanges , causing transmissions to spread due to increased needle sharing .
Pence has also downplayed the link between smoking and cancer .
“ Despite the hysteria from the political class and the media , ” he once wrote in an opinion piece , “ smoking doesn ’ t kill.
” In fact , research shows that as many as two out of three smokers die from a smoking-related illness .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ him for any leadership positions in public health .
In practice , of course , Pence ’ s role will probably be more a spokesperson than a quarterback .
The most critical decisions on the epidemic should rightly be steered by career government scientists and public health specialists with years of expertise .
Pence ’ s appointment is largely symbolic , designed to show that the administration is in full control of the situation .
But all leadership roles matter .
On Thursday , the White House announced it would tighten coronavirus messaging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by public health officials and scientists must be approved by the vice-president .
The New York Times reported that the White House instructed one of the nation ’ s top infectious disease experts , Dr Anthony S Fauci , not to say anything else without clearance .
That ’ s alarming .
The administration ’ s move is unusual .
In previous outbreaks such as Sars and Ebola , federal scientists communicated directly with the media and public .
Of course , it is important to coordinate messages in response to national emergencies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Government agencies need to ensure accuracy and consistency in their messaging , and avoid contradicting each other and confusing the public .
But letting officials speak freely isn ’ t the root cause of their problems ; it ’ s that the Trump administration is elevating the wrong representatives , who don ’ t understand what they ’ re talking about .
This isn ’ t the first time the White House has restricted the speech of public health experts .
In 2017 , the administration prohibited CDC officials from using a list @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” and “ science-based ” – in official documents .
Under these conditions , it ’ s impossible for scientists to do their work serving the public to the best of their abilities .
During a public health crisis , any censorship could be catastrophic .
Pence ’ s appointment follows a track record of the administration prioritizing politics over scientific expertise .
Trump has appointed fossil fuel lobbyists to lead the EPA , climate deniers to head up Nasa and the Council on Environmental Quality , Dow executives to USDA leadership , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the EPA ’ s toxic chemicals program .
These appointments have eroded public trust and shifted the priorities of these agencies from saving lives to special interests .
According to the World Health Organization , three important best practices for effective communication during an outbreak are building trust , making information available early and ensuring transparency .
But how can the public be confident in leadership that has bungled public health responses before ?
And how can critical announcements be made early and transparently to the public when there is a heavy-handed policing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ always have a political dimension because they can cause social disruption and economic losses .
No leaders want to look weak or not in control .
Motivated by politics , authorities can severely impede outbreak control by withholding information or downplaying its significance .
But lives must take priority over politics .
To overcome an epidemic , we need the public to have confidence in our federal agencies .
The White House should let an expert with an experienced background , strong track record and a command of public trust lead the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ honest and humble governance .
Viruses don ’ t discriminate between liberals and conservatives .
Dedicated and talented government scientists are working hard to protect us all .
We should allow them the freedom to get on with their important jobs .
• None Dr Lucky Tran is a scientist , science communicator and organizer based in New York City .
He has a PhD in biology from the University of Cambridge and has coordinated public health communications during several global outbreaks including Ebola , Zika virus and Covid-19

To effectively contain an outbreak, government decisions must be based on saving lives, not scoring political points.
Last week, the White House announced that the vice-president, Mike Pence, will lead the coronavirus task force. The administration has been criticized for its handling of the epidemic, and the intent of this press conference was to show the world that top officials are taking the situation seriously. It did the opposite.
Pence’s public health record is disastrous. As the governor of Indiana, Pence was responsible for the largest HIV outbreak in state history. He slashed public health spending, triggering the closure of HIV testing sites. Against the advice of scientists, he banned needle exchanges, causing transmissions to spread due to increased needle sharing.
Pence has also downplayed the link between smoking and cancer. “Despite the hysteria from the political class and the media,” he once wrote in an opinion piece, “smoking doesn’t kill.” In fact, research shows that as many as two out of three smokers die from a smoking-related illness.
Pence’s track record should disqualify him for any leadership positions in public health.
In practice, of course, Pence’s role will probably be more a spokesperson than a quarterback. The most critical decisions on the epidemic should rightly be steered by career government scientists and public health specialists with years of expertise. Pence’s appointment is largely symbolic, designed to show that the administration is in full control of the situation.
But all leadership roles matter. On Thursday, the White House announced it would tighten coronavirus messaging, and all statements and public appearances by public health officials and scientists must be approved by the vice-president. The New York Times reported that the White House instructed one of the nation’s top infectious disease experts, Dr Anthony S Fauci, not to say anything else without clearance. That’s alarming.
The administration’s move is unusual. In previous outbreaks such as Sars and Ebola, federal scientists communicated directly with the media and public.
Of course, it is important to coordinate messages in response to national emergencies like an outbreak or natural disaster. Government agencies need to ensure accuracy and consistency in their messaging, and avoid contradicting each other and confusing the public.
But letting officials speak freely isn’t the root cause of their problems; it’s that the Trump administration is elevating the wrong representatives, who don’t understand what they’re talking about.
This isn’t the first time the White House has restricted the speech of public health experts. In 2017, the administration prohibited CDC officials from using a list of seven words – including “evidence-based” and “science-based” – in official documents. Under these conditions, it’s impossible for scientists to do their work serving the public to the best of their abilities. During a public health crisis, any censorship could be catastrophic.
Pence’s appointment follows a track record of the administration prioritizing politics over scientific expertise. Trump has appointed fossil fuel lobbyists to lead the EPA, climate deniers to head up Nasa and the Council on Environmental Quality, Dow executives to USDA leadership, and a chemical industry insider to run the EPA’s toxic chemicals program. These appointments have eroded public trust and shifted the priorities of these agencies from saving lives to special interests.
According to the World Health Organization, three important best practices for effective communication during an outbreak are building trust, making information available early and ensuring transparency. But how can the public be confident in leadership that has bungled public health responses before? And how can critical announcements be made early and transparently to the public when there is a heavy-handed policing of what scientists can say?
Outbreaks always have a political dimension because they can cause social disruption and economic losses. No leaders want to look weak or not in control. Motivated by politics, authorities can severely impede outbreak control by withholding information or downplaying its significance. But lives must take priority over politics.
To overcome an epidemic, we need the public to have confidence in our federal agencies. The White House should let an expert with an experienced background, strong track record and a command of public trust lead the coronavirus taskforce.
Now is the time for honest and humble governance. Viruses don’t discriminate between liberals and conservatives. Dedicated and talented government scientists are working hard to protect us all. We should allow them the freedom to get on with their important jobs.


theguardian--2020-03-04--Joe Biden wins Texas primary, topping off remarkable Super Tuesday surge – live

What is Super Tuesday again ?
We ’ re in the middle of the race to decide which Democrat will face Donald Trump in the US presidential election in November .
Each state gets a vote , and yesterday a big group of states – including two of the largest , California and Texas – got to have their say .
Who was the favourite going into Super Tuesday and why ?
Bernie Sanders , the leftwing senator from Vermont , had been the favourite since his landslide victory in Nevada in February , but former vice-president Joe Biden ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ withdrawal of Biden ’ s fellow centrists Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar meant it suddenly became an extremely close-run thing .
Sanders was hoping to fend off Biden and cement his status as indisputable frontrunner .
Biden was hoping for a strong enough showing to make the case that he can pull ahead of Sanders , unite the centrist wing , and eventually win the race .
Biden had a great night and has probably reclaimed his former status as frontrunner from Sanders .
He won in at least nine of the 14 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and he beat Elizabeth Warren , another leftwing contender , in Massachusetts , her home state .
But Sanders looks to be way ahead in California .
Once all the delegates are divided up – which could take days or weeks – Sanders could end up coming out of Super Tuesday with a very similar number of delegates to his centrist rival .
What seems clear is that this is now a two-horse race between Sanders and Biden .
So no one has won yet ?
No … The race goes on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next week which Sanders hopes will give him another boost .
But it may be that Sanders and Biden now slug it out state by state , week after week , all the way to the Democratic convention in July .
If no candidate has got a majority of delegates by the time of the convention , party bigwigs get to play a role .
Most of them are terrified of Sanders winning and they are likely to give the crown to Biden – even if Sanders is ahead at that point .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be absolutely furious and many may refuse to vote for Biden in the general election .
The former New York mayor has spent about half a billion dollars on his campaign ads so far – a record-breaking amount .
But he ’ s worth $ 60bn .
To put that in context , that ’ s the equivalent of someone whose net worth is $ 10 grand , say , spending $ 1 on the election .
It ’ s nowhere close to breaking the bank for him .
That said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pressure on him now to give way and back Biden too .
He won his first two elections as mayor of New York as a Republican and he is not a fan of Sanders and his socialist platform , to put it mildly .
He is apparently planning to hunker down with his advisers on Wednesday and decide what to do next .
On paper Warren could have been the ideal candidate to unite the liberal and centrist wings of the party but she only really cut through in her powerful attacks on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Sanders on the left , and it ’ s hard to escape the conclusion that sexism has also played a role .
Her campaign suggested last week that she would keep fighting and hope to be handed the crown at the convention if Sanders fails to win a majority of delegates .
But that may be untenable and after coming third in her home state this is probably the end of the road for her .
The big question is whether she will throw her weight behind Sanders or Biden .
Liberals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his vice-president and you ’ ll hear a lot about that again now .
Whether he will or not I don ’ t know , but I ’ d say it ’ s a near-certainty that both Sanders and Biden intend to choose a female VP if they get that far .
What does Trump think ?
Donald Trump has shown a keen interest in the Democratic race and kept up a running commentary on Twitter .
He constantly tears into Biden and Bloomberg on Twitter , but is much kinder to Sanders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Democratic establishment is rigging the race against the Vermont socialist .
It seems clear that he wants Sanders to win the race and thinks he ’ d beat him .
So when will the Democrats decide on a nominee ?
The primaries continue next week with contests in Michigan , Mississippi and Washington state , among other places .
But this is looking like a battle between Bernie and Biden that will go down to the wire – so we may still be talking about this contest in July .

Joan E Greve in Washington (earlier) and Paul Owen (now)

5 Mar 2020 00.10 GMT Warren shakes hands with Sanders at the conclusion of the ninth Democratic 2020 U.S. Presidential candidates debate in Las Vegas Nevada. Photograph: Mike Blake/Reuters Surrogates and allies of Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders are reportedly discussing strategies to unite to push a progressive agenda, the Washington Post reports. The expectation is that Warren, who has persisted despite a series of campaign setbacks, would drop out: The conversations, which are in an early phase, largely involve members of Congress who back Sanders (I-Vt.) reaching out to those in Warren’s camp to explore the prospect that Warren (D-Mass.) might endorse him. They are also appealing to Warren’s supporters to switch their allegiance to Sanders, according two people with direct knowledge of the conversations who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss delicate discussions that are supposed to be confidential. The whirlwind of activity reflects the rapid changes in a Democratic primary that is still very much in transition. As late as Tuesday, many Warren allies believed she would stay in the race until the Democratic convention, despite her poor showing to date in the primaries, in hopes of retaining her clout and influencing the eventual nominee.
Updated at 00.13 GMT
4 Mar 2020 23.43 GMT The Guardian’s Saad Ejaz was at Michael Bloomberg’s farewell speech earlier today, here’s his report from the room … Michael Bloomberg gave his last public appearance as a presidential nominee today, consoling a room full of staff and supporters at a Manhattan Hotel. “Mike will get it done,” the crowd chanted, rather unenthusiastically, as they waited for Bloomberg.
“I entered the race for the president to defeat Donald Trump,” explained Bloomberg once he took the stage, “And today I am leaving the race for the same reason.” Super Tuesday marked the first time the billionaire, his message or his money had been tested. The numbers were not kind. “I’ve always believed that data should inform our decision,” he admitted, “After Yesterday’s results, the delegate math had become virtually impossible and a viable path to the nomination just no longer existed.” Instead, it was time to unite behind one candidate to defeat Donald Trump, Bloomberg said, and that could only be his “friend and a great American” Joe Biden.
“I am glad to say that I endorse Joe Biden, and I hope you will join me in working to make him the next president of the United states,” Bloomberg said of the candidate who, just 11 weeks before, he was unconvinced could beat Trump or run the country.
“He’s never been the manager of an organization, he’s never run a school system,” Bloomberg told MSNBC’s Stephanie Ruhle in December.“The presidency shouldn’t be a training job.”
Earlier today, Mike Bloomberg took the stage one last time as presidential candidate.
Here's what the crowd was like. pic.twitter.com/lwrzrurU6g — Saad Ejaz (@msaadejaz) March 4, 2020 Many of Bloomberg’s supporters were in a somber mood; some were in tears as the speech ended. “I’m just so sad and disappointed,” said Margaret Brick, who has supported Bloomberg for the past 17 years, “But I think he’s really going to help Joe.”
Other members of the campaign, like Abdul Malik, were not as sure of Joe Biden. Malik had worked with the Bloomberg campaign to increase outreach with people of color.
“I don’t know about Joe Biden yet,” said Malik, “My biggest issue is criminal justice reform and no one else comes close to Bloomberg’s plan.”
Bloomberg himself was overcome with emotion, as he reflected on his campaign’s journey.“I’m just amazed at how many have stood with me shoulder to shoulder,” he said at the verge of tears, “Working and fighting every step of the way.”
“And you do it because you love America as much as I do and that’s all I could ever ask for.”
4 Mar 2020 23.29 GMT Lindsey Graham, a staunch Trump ally, told CNN that Joe Biden would be a tough opponent in the election. Lindsey Graham on Trump facing Biden in a general: "I think he would be tough. I think Joe Biden's got a good reputation and he'd be tough, he'd be more moderate than Bernie, but I still think it's Trump's to lose." pic.twitter.com/WMUzrghILu — Manu Raju (@mkraju) March 4, 2020 “I think Joe Biden’s got a good reputation,” said Graham, a Republican senator of South Carolina. “He’d be more moderate than Bernie, but I still think it’s Trump’s to lose.” Biden’s victory in Graham’s home state is what gave the firmer vice president’s flagging campaign the boost and momentum to take on Super Tuesday.
Updated at 23.29 GMT
4 Mar 2020 23.20 GMT Chuck Schumer’s team has responded to Chief Justice John Roberts’ reprimand. In a rare statement, Roberts described a speech that Schumer delivered as the Supreme Court considered a case that could result in grave new abortion restrictions as “threatening”. Schumer had said that the Trump-appointed justices would pay a price for restricting abortion access.
“Sen. Schumer’s comments were a reference to the political price Senate Republicans will pay for putting these justices on the court, and a warning that the justices will unleash a major grassroots movement on the issue of reproductive rights against the decision,” said the senator’s spokesperson Justin Goodman in a statement. “For Justice Roberts to follow the right wing’s deliberate misinterpretation of what Sen. Schumer said, while remaining silent when President Trump attacked Justices Sotomayor and Ginsberg last week, shows Justice Roberts does not just call balls and strikes.”
4 Mar 2020 23.05 GMT Joe Biden: 'Trump poses an existential threat' Sam Levin After his big Super Tuesday wins, Biden just held a very brief press conference at a Los Angeles hotel, making about a dozen supporters and a large crowd of journalists wait over an hour for roughly seven minutes of remarks. He did not speak about Bloomberg’s departure or his remaining rivals in the race, saying:
“What we can’t let happen in the next few weeks is let this primary turn into a campaign of negative attacks. The only thing that can do is help Donald Trump ... Donald Trump poses an existential threat to our standing in the world.” “What we cant let happen in the best few weeks is let this primary turn into a campaign of negative attacks. The only thing that can do is help Donald Trump.” - Biden in LA pic.twitter.com/bk6v6pzXc3 — Sam Levin (@SamTLevin) March 4, 2020 “We are going to take this fight all across America to rebuild the middle class,” said Biden, who appeared relatively subdued in the small hotel conference room at the W Los Angeles in Westwood.
Biden ignored reporters’ questions as he walked out, but briefly responded to one question about criticisms that he is part of the Democratic “establishment”, saying, “The establishment are all those hard-working middle-class people, those African Americans...”
LA mayor Eric Garcetti, a Biden supporter, showed up, but made no remarks.
Lulu Lima, an 18-year-old supporter who also stood behind Biden, told me after that her father is a union member and supporter of the candidate. She said she was grateful to cast her first-ever vote for Biden and felt excited about his surge: “It’s awesome to see what can happen ... It means never lose hope, and in a broader sense, never lose hope for this nation.” Lulu Lima, 18, stood behind @JoeBiden today at his LA press conference. Her dad is a union supporter. She said Biden’s recent surge was a reminder to “never lose hope.” She said she avoids talking politics with friends or others her age who are Bernie supporters. pic.twitter.com/ZHA2h4oWUF — Sam Levin (@SamTLevin) March 4, 2020
Asked if she was confident Biden would win, she said, “All we can do is hope.” She said she avoids talking about politics with friends or others her age who are Sanders supporters: “It’s important for individuals to have their own beliefs.”
4 Mar 2020 22.57 GMT Donald Trump’s response to criticisms of his coronavirus response: Thanks, Obama. The president blamed a federal agency decision during Barack Obama’s administration, which Trump said made it harder to quickly roll out testing for the virus.
“The Obama administration made a decision on testing that turned out to be very detrimental to what we’re doing, and we undid that decision a few days ago so that the testing can take place in a much more accurate and rapid fashion,” he told reporters during a White House meeting with airline executives, whom he had called to discuss the economic effects of the outbreak. “That was a decision we disagreed with,” he said. I don’t think we would have made it, but for some reason, it was made.” It’s unclear what decision, exactly, Trump is referring to. The Trump administration has been criticized for dismantling an Obama effort to respond to global health emergencies more quickly. The president has also come under fire for not rolling out widespread testing for coronavirus more quickly, and spreading false information about the disease. White House's 'muzzled' coronavirus messaging is dangerous, experts say Read more
Updated at 22.59 GMT
4 Mar 2020 22.37 GMT Sanders held a press conference at his campaign office in Burlington, Vermont. Photograph: Caitlin Ochs/Reuters Bernie Sanders admitted he hadn’t been as successful as he’d hoped at galvanizing youth turnout. “Have we been as successful as I would hope in bringing young people in? And the answer is no,” he said, speaking at his campaign headquarters in Vermont. “We’re making some progress. But historically younger people do not vote in the kind of numbers that older people vote in. I think that will change in the general election.” He told reporters he was “disappointed” by the Super Tuesday results. “Of course I’m disappointed,” he said. “I would like to win every state by a landslide. It’s not going to happen.” But he emphasized the importance of upcoming races Michigan and other midwestern states, where he and Joe Biden are competing to win over working-class voters — to whom both candidates seem to appeal. “Joe and I are running very different campaigns,” he said. “And my hope is that in the coming months, we will be able to debate and discuss the very significant differences that we have.”
Updated at 22.39 GMT
4 Mar 2020 22.17 GMT Hi, there! It’s Maanvi Singh, blogging from the West Coast. In a rare statement, Chief Justice John Roberts denounced comments from Senator Chuck Schumer, who spoke at a rally outside the Supreme Court as the court heard oral arguments in a case that could result in new restrictions on abortion access. “Justices know that criticism comes with the territory, but threatening statements of this sort from the highest levels of government are not only inappropriate, they are dangerous,” Roberts said. Schumer has said that Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh — Trump’s Supreme Court appointees — “won’t know what hit” them if they voted to uphold abortion restrictions. “I want to tell you Gorsuch, I want to tell you Kavanaugh, you have released the whirlwind and you will pay the price,” Schumer said. US supreme court takes up most high-profile abortion case in decades Read more
Updated at 22.19 GMT
4 Mar 2020 22.00 GMT Today so far That’s it from me today. My west coast colleague, Maanvi Singh, will take over the blog for the next few hours. Here’s where the day stands so far: The House easily passed a bill aimed at limiting the spread of coronavirus. The bill, which lays out $8 billion in funding to combat the health threat, advanced to the Senate on a vote of 415 to 2.
The bill, which lays out $8 billion in funding to combat the health threat, advanced to the Senate on a vote of 415 to 2. Mike Bloomberg delivered an emotional speech to supporters after suspending his presidential campaign and endorsing Joe Biden. The former New York mayor expressed pride in the race he ran, even though the billionaire candidate spent $500 million and failed to win a single Super Tuesday state.
The former New York mayor expressed pride in the race he ran, even though the billionaire candidate spent $500 million and failed to win a single Super Tuesday state. Bernie Sanders predicted he and Biden would be “neck and neck” in the nominating contest after California’s delegates are allocated. Sanders was declared the winner of California, where 415 pledged delegates are up for grabs, as soon as polls closed, but Biden’s 10 victories elsewhere will likely give him the lead in delegates.
Sanders was declared the winner of California, where 415 pledged delegates are up for grabs, as soon as polls closed, but Biden’s 10 victories elsewhere will likely give him the lead in delegates. Elizabeth Warren said she was considering next steps for her campaign after a disappointing Super Tuesday performance. Warren’s campaign manager said the Massachusetts senator was “talking with our team to assess the path forward.”
Warren’s campaign manager said the Massachusetts senator was “talking with our team to assess the path forward.” US markets rallied after Biden’s strong Super Tuesday showing. After a string of market losses tied to concerns about coronavirus, investors appeared to breathe a sigh of relief about Sanders’ sinking fortunes in the presidential primary. Maanvi will have more coming up, so stay tuned.


theguardian--2020-03-04--What is a contested convention? Divided Democrats may face scenario

After more than a year of campaigning , Super Tuesday was supposed to be the moment that one Democratic presidential candidate stormed towards victory in the race to be the nominee to take on Donald Trump in the November election .
Instead , it is still possible that no one will win the Democratic primary race at all , if none of the candidates win the 1,991 delegates required to take the Democratic nomination .
In that scenario , the mud-slinging between Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders – and potentially Michael Bloomberg and Elizabeth Warren , if they remain in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party ’ s national convention in Milwaukee in July .
If a candidate can only win a “ plurality ” ( we ’ ll come to what that means in a minute ) then Democrats will face what is known as a contested , or brokered , convention .
How is it possible for no one to win the Democratic primary race ?
The Democratic party allocates 3,979 pledged delegates during its primary process , distributed proportionately to each state .
Those delegates are awarded proportionately to candidates who compete in those states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday , Joe Biden won 53.3 % of the vote and took 66 of the 99 available delegates .
Sanders won 23.1 % of the vote , taking 31 delegates , while Warren won 10.8 % and took two delegates .
To win the nomination – and go on to face Trump – someone needs to win a majority of 1,991 delegates by the time the primary election season ends .
After Super Tuesday , Biden and Sanders are in a close-fought race , with Bloomberg and Warren a long way behind in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sanders is likely to drop out , and each is well placed to carry on picking up delegates as the primary contests continue on 10 March , when six more states will vote .
They could , then , prevent each other from reaching that 1,991 figure .
One could win a plurality , but not a majority .
The term refers to a candidate winning more delegates than anyone else , but not an outright majority .
To clinch the nomination , a candidate must to win more than half the pledged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If the frontrunner only has a plurality by the time of the Democratic convention , then the Democrats will have a contested convention .
What happens at a contested convention ?
There is a first round of voting , in which each candidate ’ s pledged delegates weigh in for their contender .
If , after that , there is no winner – no one has an outright majority – the voting moves to a second round , and things potentially become controversial .
In the second round , the “ superdelegates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ superdelegates are chosen by Democratic party leaders ( often members of Congress or other elected officials ) and are free to vote for whomever they like .
In the past , superdelegates have aligned with the center , “ establishment ” wing of the Democratic party , which would suggest Biden could benefit from this scenario .
How likely is this to happen ?
Pretty likely , according to the pollsters and the pundits .
Ahead of Super Tuesday , FiveThirtyEight forecast that no one having a majority was the most likely outcome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 6 June , when the United States Virgin Islands yields its six delegates .
Few Democrats want the primary to drag on for another three months , given that continued party infighting would only benefit Trump .
With neither Biden nor Sanders ready to blink , however , that could well be what Democrats face when they arrive in Milwaukee .

After more than a year of campaigning, Super Tuesday was supposed to be the moment that one Democratic presidential candidate stormed towards victory in the race to be the nominee to take on Donald Trump in the November election.
Instead, it is still possible that no one will win the Democratic primary race at all, if none of the candidates win the 1,991 delegates required to take the Democratic nomination.
In that scenario, the mud-slinging between Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders – and potentially Michael Bloomberg and Elizabeth Warren, if they remain in the race – would intensify until the party’s national convention in Milwaukee in July.
If a candidate can only win a “plurality” (we’ll come to what that means in a minute) then Democrats will face what is known as a contested, or brokered, convention.
How is it possible for no one to win the Democratic primary race?
The Democratic party allocates 3,979 pledged delegates during its primary process, distributed proportionately to each state. Those delegates are awarded proportionately to candidates who compete in those states.
For example, in Virginia on Tuesday, Joe Biden won 53.3% of the vote and took 66 of the 99 available delegates. Sanders won 23.1% of the vote, taking 31 delegates, while Warren won 10.8% and took two delegates.
To win the nomination – and go on to face Trump – someone needs to win a majority of 1,991 delegates by the time the primary election season ends.
After Super Tuesday, Biden and Sanders are in a close-fought race, with Bloomberg and Warren a long way behind in the delegate count.
Neither Biden nor Sanders is likely to drop out, and each is well placed to carry on picking up delegates as the primary contests continue on 10 March, when six more states will vote. They could, then, prevent each other from reaching that 1,991 figure. One could win a plurality, but not a majority.
What is a plurality?
The term refers to a candidate winning more delegates than anyone else, but not an outright majority. To clinch the nomination, a candidate must to win more than half the pledged delegates available: that magic 1,991 figure.
If the frontrunner only has a plurality by the time of the Democratic convention, then the Democrats will have a contested convention.
What happens at a contested convention?
There is a first round of voting, in which each candidate’s pledged delegates weigh in for their contender. If, after that, there is no winner – no one has an outright majority – the voting moves to a second round, and things potentially become controversial.
In the second round, the “superdelegates” enter the fray. The 771 superdelegates are chosen by Democratic party leaders (often members of Congress or other elected officials) and are free to vote for whomever they like.
In the past, superdelegates have aligned with the center, “establishment” wing of the Democratic party, which would suggest Biden could benefit from this scenario.
How likely is this to happen?
Pretty likely, according to the pollsters and the pundits.
Ahead of Super Tuesday, FiveThirtyEight forecast that no one having a majority was the most likely outcome.
The final delegates are assigned on 6 June, when the United States Virgin Islands yields its six delegates. Few Democrats want the primary to drag on for another three months, given that continued party infighting would only benefit Trump.
With neither Biden nor Sanders ready to blink, however, that could well be what Democrats face when they arrive in Milwaukee.


theguardian--2020-03-04--Super Tuesday: Biden sweeps southern states as Sanders wins California

The former vice-president Joe Biden surged to Super Tuesday victories in nine states , sweeping the south and taking the key state of Texas in a remarkable comeback on the most pivotal night of the Democratic presidential primary race .
His rival , Bernie Sanders , won the crucial state of California , according to the Associated Press , where 415 delegates – more than any other state in the Democratic primary – were up for grabs .
Exit polls indicated that the Vermont senator had an approximate 15-point lead , though final results may not be confirmed for days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boost after a rejuvenated Biden swept the southern states of Virginia , North Carolina , Alabama , Arkansas , Tennessee and Oklahoma , propelled by black voters , and scored surprise wins in Massachusetts and Minnesota , before topping the winning streak with the delegate-rich state of Texas .
“ It ’ s a good night and it seems to be getting better , ” Biden told supporters in Los Angeles .
“ They don ’ t call it Super Tuesday for nothing.
” The two candidates , both in their late seventies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ race for the Democratic presidential nomination on Super Tuesday , when 14 states and two US territories had their say .
Sanders , a Democratic socialist and the most progressive candidate in the race , represents a starkly different vision for the Democratic party and the country from Biden , a moderate who has run on his record as Barack Obama ’ s vice-president .
Senator Elizabeth Warren came in a disappointing third place in her home state of Massachusetts and struggled to break through the viability threshold of 15 % in other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Michigan ’ s primary next week , Warren appeared defiant , saying : “ You don ’ t get what you don ’ t fight for .
I am in this fight.
” The California result came in after Sanders took an early home-state win in Vermont as expected , and followed with a win in Colorado and Utah .
After the Vermont result , a huge roar went up at Sanders ’ Super Tuesday rally in his home town of Burlington , with chants of “ Bernie !
Bernie !
Bernie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in heavily African American states complemented the former vice-president ’ s resounding win in Saturday ’ s South Carolina primary and presented a serious challenge for Sanders , who went into Super Tuesday with a narrow lead .
The billionaire former New York mayor Mike Bloomberg , who appeared on the ballot for the first time in the Super Tuesday states , did not see his $ 500m gamble pay dividends .
Bloomberg , who has funneled huge sums of his fortune into his own campaign , won the US territory of American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in play , but was poised to receive no delegates in Virginia , where he spent nearly $ 18m on advertising .
Exit polls also indicated Bloomberg was struggling to clear the 15 % threshold required to net delegates in North Carolina , where he spent more than $ 17m and built a large field operation .
Bloomberg would discuss with his advisers on Wednesday “ whether there ’ s a reason to continue with this ” , NBC News reported .
“ As the results come in here ’ s what is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we win tonight , we ’ ve done something no one else thought was possible , ” Bloomberg said in a 10-minute speech to supporters in West Palm Beach , Florida .
“ We ’ ve gone from one per cent in the polls to being a contender for the Democratic presidential nomination.
” Super Tuesday is the most consequential voting day of the Democratic presidential primary race , with millions of voters across the US casting their ballots for the candidate they want to see take on Donald Trump in the November @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day as the frontrunner , well positioned to dominate in California and Texas with the support of energized liberals , young voters and Latinos .
But the race had shifted dramatically in the 72 hours between the South Carolina primary and polls opening on Tuesday , and Sanders was fighting to blunt the sudden rise of Biden , emboldened by a wave of endorsements from the former vice-president ’ s moderate ex-rivals the Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg , the former mayor of South Bend , Indiana , who both dropped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ If we spend the next four months dividing our party and going at each other , we will spend the next four years watching Donald Trump tear apart this country , ” Klobuchar said .
Fourteen states , from California to Virginia , and Arkansas to Massachusetts , held primaries on Super Tuesday , as the race moved from a series of intimate , single-day contests to something more akin to a national vote .
On Wednesday , nearly 40 % of the total delegates to the party ’ s convention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , will have been awarded .
Super Tuesday traditionally has the potential to clarify a dramatically unsettled race .
But it was still unclear whether Biden or Sanders would establish a controlling advantage .
The uncertainty could pave the way toward a contested convention , the likes of which the party has not seen since 1952 .
Sanders , who raised a staggering $ 46m in February alone , has benefited from a fractured opposition .
While Biden , Bloomberg , and , to a lesser degree , Warren , compete for overlapping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has edged past by consolidating support among the party ’ s left wing .
In recent weeks , Democratic leaders and officials have warned that a splintered result on Super Tuesday would put Sanders on a runaway path to the nomination .
But on Tuesday night , Sanders put on the bravest face he could .
“ I am excited about where we are , ” he told supporters .
“ We have come a long , long way , now let ’ s go on to the White House.
” Though he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president by name , he pointedly criticised him over his vote for the war on Iraq and his support for “ disastrous trade agreements which cost us millions of good-paying jobs ” .
“ You can not beat Trump with the same-old , same-old kind of politics , ” Sanders declared .
Democrats award delegates proportionally , dividing the spoils between any candidate who reaches a 15 % threshold in a state or its congressional districts .
If the result is split , Democrats expect a drawn-out primary race that could last all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ convention in Milwaukee in July , where a nominee will be decided .
Perhaps no candidate stood to lose more on Super Tuesday than Bloomberg .
His support has more than doubled since his late entry in November , but recent polling suggests he has lost ground after a widely criticized debate performance last month , during which he came under attack for his past comments on women and people of color .
Speaking to reporters from a campaign stop in Miami on Tuesday morning , Bloomberg said his only path to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I don ’ t think I can win any other way , ” he said , acknowledging that he faced long odds in the 14 states voting on Tuesday .
“ I don ’ t know that we ’ re going to win any.
” American Samoa awarded the long-shot candidate Hawaii congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard one delegate , but that could be enough to secure her place at the next Democratic presidential debate in Arizona , which votes on 17 March with Florida , Ohio and Illinois .
Republican primaries were also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump does not face any serious competition , the Democratic contest took the spotlight .
Additional reporting by Daniel Strauss in Richmond , Virginia , Richard Luscombe in West Palm Beach , Florida , and Ed Pilkington in Essex Junction , Vermont

Lauren Gambino in Los Angeles, Oliver Laughland in Texas and Joan E Greve in Washington

The former vice-president Joe Biden surged to Super Tuesday victories in nine states, sweeping the south and taking the key state of Texas in a remarkable comeback on the most pivotal night of the Democratic presidential primary race.
His rival, Bernie Sanders, won the crucial state of California, according to the Associated Press, where 415 delegates – more than any other state in the Democratic primary – were up for grabs. Exit polls indicated that the Vermont senator had an approximate 15-point lead, though final results may not be confirmed for days.
The win gave Sanders a much-needed boost after a rejuvenated Biden swept the southern states of Virginia, North Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee and Oklahoma, propelled by black voters, and scored surprise wins in Massachusetts and Minnesota, before topping the winning streak with the delegate-rich state of Texas.
“It’s a good night and it seems to be getting better,” Biden told supporters in Los Angeles. “They don’t call it Super Tuesday for nothing.”
The two candidates, both in their late seventies, emerged as the frontrunners in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination on Super Tuesday, when 14 states and two US territories had their say. Sanders, a Democratic socialist and the most progressive candidate in the race, represents a starkly different vision for the Democratic party and the country from Biden, a moderate who has run on his record as Barack Obama’s vice-president.
01:24 Biden triumphs, Sanders hits back and Warren fights on: how Super Tuesday unfolded – video report
Senator Elizabeth Warren came in a disappointing third place in her home state of Massachusetts and struggled to break through the viability threshold of 15% in other states. Speaking in Detroit, ahead of Michigan’s primary next week, Warren appeared defiant, saying: “You don’t get what you don’t fight for. I am in this fight.”
The California result came in after Sanders took an early home-state win in Vermont as expected, and followed with a win in Colorado and Utah. After the Vermont result, a huge roar went up at Sanders’ Super Tuesday rally in his home town of Burlington, with chants of “Bernie! Bernie! Bernie!”
But Biden’s victories in heavily African American states complemented the former vice-president’s resounding win in Saturday’s South Carolina primary and presented a serious challenge for Sanders, who went into Super Tuesday with a narrow lead.
Bernie Sanders and his wife, Jane O’Meara Sanders, take the stage during a Super Tuesday rally in Essex Junction, Vermont, on 3 March. Photograph: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
The billionaire former New York mayor Mike Bloomberg, who appeared on the ballot for the first time in the Super Tuesday states, did not see his $500m gamble pay dividends.
Bloomberg, who has funneled huge sums of his fortune into his own campaign, won the US territory of American Samoa, which has just six delegates in play, but was poised to receive no delegates in Virginia, where he spent nearly $18m on advertising.
Exit polls also indicated Bloomberg was struggling to clear the 15% threshold required to net delegates in North Carolina, where he spent more than $17m and built a large field operation.
Bloomberg would discuss with his advisers on Wednesday “whether there’s a reason to continue with this”, NBC News reported.
“As the results come in here’s what is clear: no matter how many delegates we win tonight, we’ve done something no one else thought was possible,” Bloomberg said in a 10-minute speech to supporters in West Palm Beach, Florida. “We’ve gone from one per cent in the polls to being a contender for the Democratic presidential nomination.”
Super Tuesday is the most consequential voting day of the Democratic presidential primary race, with millions of voters across the US casting their ballots for the candidate they want to see take on Donald Trump in the November election.
Sanders headed into this critical day as the frontrunner, well positioned to dominate in California and Texas with the support of energized liberals, young voters and Latinos.
But the race had shifted dramatically in the 72 hours between the South Carolina primary and polls opening on Tuesday, and Sanders was fighting to blunt the sudden rise of Biden, emboldened by a wave of endorsements from the former vice-president’s moderate ex-rivals the Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, who both dropped out of the race in recent days.
“If we spend the next four months dividing our party and going at each other, we will spend the next four years watching Donald Trump tear apart this country,” Klobuchar said.
Fourteen states, from California to Virginia, and Arkansas to Massachusetts, held primaries on Super Tuesday, as the race moved from a series of intimate, single-day contests to something more akin to a national vote. On Wednesday, nearly 40% of the total delegates to the party’s convention, who eventually nominate the presidential candidate, will have been awarded.
Super Tuesday traditionally has the potential to clarify a dramatically unsettled race. But it was still unclear whether Biden or Sanders would establish a controlling advantage. The uncertainty could pave the way toward a contested convention, the likes of which the party has not seen since 1952.
Sanders, who raised a staggering $46m in February alone, has benefited from a fractured opposition. While Biden, Bloomberg, and, to a lesser degree, Warren, compete for overlapping shares of the Democratic electorate, Sanders has edged past by consolidating support among the party’s left wing.
Bernie Sanders supporters hold signs during a Super Tuesday rally in Essex Junction, Vermont, on 3 March. Photograph: Charles Krupa/AP
In recent weeks, Democratic leaders and officials have warned that a splintered result on Super Tuesday would put Sanders on a runaway path to the nomination.
But on Tuesday night, Sanders put on the bravest face he could. “I am excited about where we are,” he told supporters. “We have come a long, long way, now let’s go on to the White House.”
Though he didn’t mention the former vice-president by name, he pointedly criticised him over his vote for the war on Iraq and his support for “disastrous trade agreements which cost us millions of good-paying jobs”.
“You cannot beat Trump with the same-old, same-old kind of politics,” Sanders declared.
Democrats award delegates proportionally, dividing the spoils between any candidate who reaches a 15% threshold in a state or its congressional districts. If the result is split, Democrats expect a drawn-out primary race that could last all the way to the party’s convention in Milwaukee in July, where a nominee will be decided.
Perhaps no candidate stood to lose more on Super Tuesday than Bloomberg. His support has more than doubled since his late entry in November, but recent polling suggests he has lost ground after a widely criticized debate performance last month, during which he came under attack for his past comments on women and people of color.
Speaking to reporters from a campaign stop in Miami on Tuesday morning, Bloomberg said his only path to the nomination may be a contested convention.
“I don’t think I can win any other way,” he said, acknowledging that he faced long odds in the 14 states voting on Tuesday. “I don’t know that we’re going to win any.”
American Samoa awarded the long-shot candidate Hawaii congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard one delegate, but that could be enough to secure her place at the next Democratic presidential debate in Arizona, which votes on 17 March with Florida, Ohio and Illinois.
Republican primaries were also taking place on Tuesday, but as Trump does not face any serious competition, the Democratic contest took the spotlight.
Additional reporting by Daniel Strauss in Richmond, Virginia, Richard Luscombe in West Palm Beach, Florida, and Ed Pilkington in Essex Junction, Vermont