usatoday--2020-03-03--California Primary: How the Golden State vote could make — or break — presidential hopefuls left sta

Hours Election Day in California and 14 other Super Tuesday states , the presidential primary shifted dramatically , putting the liberal state in a position to play an even more decisive role selecting the next Democratic nominee .
Sen. Bernie Sanders , I-Vt. , who has dominated polls and led the pack by double digits over the last several weeks , was poised for a resounding win .
Suddenly , the field looks more open than it 's appeared for months .
“ California has the potential to either mark the beginning of the end or the end of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , executive director of the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at Cal State University , Los Angeles .
Sanders is still well-positioned to maintain his lead , and scoop up most of California ’ s 415 pledged delegates , all but guaranteeing him the nomination , but final-hour moves have upended expectations , Sonenshein said .
Billionaire Tom Steyer ; former South Bend , Ind.
, Mayor Pete Buttigieg ; and Sen. Amy Klobuchar , D-Minn. , all dropped out of the race , adding a new dimension not accounted for in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Both Biden ’ s showing in South Carolina , the dropping out of three candidates after that , and the fact that large numbers of people have been holding their absentee ballots waiting to see what will happen in South Carolina , ” Sonenshein said .
“ I have never seen anything like that.
” California has been a key battleground state from the start .
Michael Bloomberg ’ s state director called California the former New York mayor ’ s Iowa .
Bernie Sanders ’ California spokesperson said Riverside , Calif. , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moines .
“ There is a lot at stake , ” Sonenshein said .
“ I am inclined to think there is a lot more of this story to tell.
” Although polling shows Sanders as the heavy favorite , California is a make-or-break for his opponents .
Biden , fresh off a decisive victory in South Carolina , hopes Super Tuesday will cement his position as the moderate alternative to Sanders .
And after sitting out the first four contests , Super Tuesday will be the first test to determine how voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some make-or-breaks .
California has more than 6 million voters registered as No Party Preference and they could play a decisive role in the state ’ s Democratic Party primary — if they vote .
Democratic National Committee rules require undeclared voters to take an extra step and opt-in if they want to participate in the primary , by requesting what ’ s called a crossover ballot .
Both the Sanders and Bloomberg campaigns have said educating NPP voters about the procedure and turning them out is key to their success .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the electorate votes by mail , only 10 % of No Party Preference voters requested crossover ballots , said Paul Mitchell , vice president of Political Data Inc. , a bipartisan voter-data provider in California .
These voters can still participate in the primary if they go to a polling place , surrender their ballot and request a provisional crossover ballot .
How many ultimately participate could be a make-or-break for candidates relying on their support .
“ There are pockets of the electorate who are from the independent pool who would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Mitchell says adding that he wishes it was a cleaner process .
“ It will clearly impact the race .
It will impact who wins.
” Presidential campaigns typically approach California as a campaign contribution ATM rather than a battleground primary state .
State lawmakers decided to move the primary election from June to March hoping to give voters more influence in the nominating process .
If California cements Sanders ’ status as the field ’ s front-runner or creates new momentum for Biden or Bloomberg , it ’ ll reflect how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ season afterthought to a key contest on the path to the nomination .
“ If California wasn ’ t part of Super Tuesday dishing out one-fifth of the votes that you need to become the nominee , we might not see this pace and rapid acceleration of this presidential race , that has happened , ” Mitchell says .
“ It ’ s just whiplash.
” In the lead-up to Super Tuesday , both Sanders and Bloomberg built out enormous campaign operations throughout the Golden State , with the idea that armies of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ winning the state ’ s trove of delegates .
Bloomberg opened 24 offices and hired more than 300 staff members , while Sanders opened 23 offices and hired more than 100 staff members .
Biden , on the other hand , opened only one office in east Los Angeles in the lead-up to the primary , hoping to accumulate momentum in early states .
“ Biden hasn ’ t been out here the same level as some of these other candidates .
He was playing this strategy of I am going to win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Mitchell says .
“ But he is diving into a pool that is shallower because he waited until the last two days to make California his focus.
” California results also will provide early indication of whether Bloomberg ’ s advertising blitz translates to voter support .
After skipping the first four contests , Bloomberg spent a whopping $ 66 million on advertising in California .
He hasn ’ t attracted thousands to California rallies like Sanders , but if his advertising gamble pays off , it ’ ll suggest dominating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a factor in modern-day elections .
“ We could have a situation on election night where that early vote really shows the strong advantage those two candidates had in the last three weeks of being on the ground here in California , ” Mitchell says .
“ But , the vote that comes in as people go to the polls and people who vote late go up , maybe then you ’ ll start to see the effect of this narrowing of the field.
” Latino and black voters are core Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whichever Democrat ultimately secures the nomination .
After struggling to win support of minority voters in the 2016 Democratic Primary , the Sanders campaign aggressively courted black and Latino communities in the lead-up to the 2020 primary .
In the Nevada caucuses , Sanders won 53 % of the state ’ s Latino electorate , about three times greater than Biden ’ s 17 % .
But among black voters in South Carolina , he struggled compared to Biden , winning 17 % , compared to the former vice president ’ s 61 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exit poll .
California and Nevada share a similar demographic profile .
In Nevada , Latinos make up about 19 % of eligible voters .
Political scientists from UCLA ’ s Latino Policy and Politics Initiative project Latinos will account for 26 % of California primary voters ; Asian-Americans , 15 % ; and black voters 6.5 % .
The majority of the California electorate votes using ballots mailed to them rather than at polling places on Election Day .
Out of the 16 million vote-by-mail ballots sent to California voters starting Feb. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ returned .
The percentage of mail voters who cast ballots for withdrawn candidates like Klobuchar and Buttigieg could sway the outcome for the remaining candidates .
Fifteen California counties have adopted new requirements passed as part of the 2016 Voter Choice Act .
They ’ ve sent every registered voter a ballot in the mail and replacing traditional polling places with centralized vote centers .
“ Voter Choice Act ” counties provide voters opportunities to vote over a longer period of time , but at less locations .
Election officials predict long lines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the primary will offer indications about whether the state ’ s attempt to expand access to voting has been successful .
More : Super Tuesday : California has huge role in Dem primary , but new vote centers a concern California ’ s audit requirements make the state notoriously slow at counting votes and final election results likely will not be certified until up to a month after the primary .
California Secretary of State spokesman Sam Mahood told CBS News he wouldn ’ t be surprised if more than 2 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end of election night .
Vote-counting snafus in Iowa and Nevada generated nationwide outrage and denied leading candidates the kind of momentum that traditionally follows victories in early contests .
A delayed final tally in California could deny candidates like Bloomberg or Sanders the victory narrative they hope the results yield .
Nearly every poll in recent weeks has shown Sanders with a sizable lead .
The latest statewide survey done by USA Today/Suffolk University shows Sanders leading with 37 % support , suggesting a conclusive victory .
But early polls have n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the dramatic shifts in the final hours before election day could render a result unlike polls have predicted .
Polls suggest it 's unlikely that anyone will catch Sanders , but the split isn ’ t a done deal , analysts say .
“ I think it probably means that Biden and Warren are going to pick up a lot of support from those absentee ballots and Election Day , ” Sonenshein said .
That could change how the rest of the country decides to vote .
“ It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ versus a sense that this has a long way to go.
” Biden ’ s South Carolina triumph followed a final-hour endorsement from Rep. Jim Clyburn , one of the state ’ s most well-known Democratic politicians .
But in California , will endorsements from political leaders sway the electorate ?
Do voters care that State Controller Betty Yee endorsed Biden or that First Lady Jennifer Siebel Newsom endorsed Warren ?
Sen. Kamala Harris , D-Calif. , had stockpiled endorsements from most of her home state ’ s politicians .
Since her exit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ play , candidates have been toiling to recruit her endorsers .
Neither Harris nor Gov .
Gavin Newsom have endorsed candidates , but the state ’ s other leading politicians have lined up behind their candidates of choice .
Biden leads the pack in declared support according to FiveThirtyEight , with endorsements from Sen. Dianne Feinstein , D-Calif. , Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti , and former Sen. Barbara Boxer .
But Bloomberg has secured endorsements from more than 100 mayors , including San Francisco ’ s London Breed and Stockton ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state ’ s most high profile black mayors could help Bloomberg sway African-American voters to his corner .
Studies on past elections suggest the importance of endorsements is limited , especially in races where candidates are at ideological odds .
Biden ’ s endorsements haven ’ t translated to poll numbers .
A USA TODAY poll published Sunday gave him 15 % of likely Democratic primary voters , behind Bloomberg ( 17 % ) and Sanders ( 37 % ) .
After skipping the first-four primary contests , Bloomberg needs a strong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Texas to prove he has the support required to take on frontrunners like Biden and Sanders .
His campaign has invested more in California than any other state , but a last-minute surge of momentum from Biden could cut into his support among California ’ s Democratic moderates .
“ It is a real make-or-break for Bloomberg .
If Biden or Warren start to move up the rationale for Bloomberg ’ s candidacy begins to shake and his entire campaign has been built around Super Tuesday , ” Sonenshein said .
Fresh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a strong Super Tuesday showing from Biden could secure his status as a frontrunner who can challenge Sanders .
Biden won endorsements from Buttigieg and Klobuchar after both withdrew from the race , but will their supporters follow suit ?
Super Tuesday could be Elizabeth Warren ’ s last stand .
After leading in many California polls as recently as September 2019 , Warren plummeted over the subsequent months and hasn ’ t finished higher than third in any of the first four primary contests .
A strong Super Tuesday result could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidates or end any hope she has of winning enough delegates to challenge Sanders or Biden .
Gabrielle Canon is the USA Today Network 's California reporter .
Reach her at gcanon @ gannett.com or on Twitter @ GabrielleCanon .
Sam Metz covers politics .
Reach him at samuel.metz @ desertsun.com or on Twitter @ metzsam .

California Primary: How the Golden State vote could make — or break — presidential hopefuls left standing
Show Caption Hide Caption What is Super Tuesday and why is it important? A previous version of this video displayed an incorrect date in a graphic. It was 1988 when 14 Southern and border states held their primaries. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
Hours before Election Day in California and 14 other Super Tuesday states, the presidential primary shifted dramatically, putting the liberal state in a position to play an even more decisive role selecting the next Democratic nominee.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who has dominated polls and led the pack by double digits over the last several weeks, was poised for a resounding win. Suddenly, the field looks more open than it's appeared for months.
“California has the potential to either mark the beginning of the end or the end of the beginning,” said Dr. Raphael Sonenshein, executive director of the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at Cal State University, Los Angeles.
Sanders is still well-positioned to maintain his lead, and scoop up most of California’s 415 pledged delegates, all but guaranteeing him the nomination, but final-hour moves have upended expectations, Sonenshein said.
Billionaire Tom Steyer; former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg; and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., all dropped out of the race, adding a new dimension not accounted for in any January or February polls.
“Both Biden’s showing in South Carolina, the dropping out of three candidates after that, and the fact that large numbers of people have been holding their absentee ballots waiting to see what will happen in South Carolina,” Sonenshein said. “I have never seen anything like that.”
California has been a key battleground state from the start. Michael Bloomberg’s state director called California the former New York mayor’s Iowa. Bernie Sanders’ California spokesperson said Riverside, Calif., was the Vermont senator’s Des Moines.
“There is a lot at stake,” Sonenshein said. “I am inclined to think there is a lot more of this story to tell.”
Although polling shows Sanders as the heavy favorite, California is a make-or-break for his opponents. Biden, fresh off a decisive victory in South Carolina, hopes Super Tuesday will cement his position as the moderate alternative to Sanders. And after sitting out the first four contests, Super Tuesday will be the first test to determine how voters are responding to Bloomberg.
Here are some make-or-breaks.
No party preference voters, and crossover ballots
California has more than 6 million voters registered as No Party Preference and they could play a decisive role in the state’s Democratic Party primary — if they vote. Democratic National Committee rules require undeclared voters to take an extra step and opt-in if they want to participate in the primary, by requesting what’s called a crossover ballot.
Both the Sanders and Bloomberg campaigns have said educating NPP voters about the procedure and turning them out is key to their success. But in California, where roughly 40% of the electorate votes by mail, only 10% of No Party Preference voters requested crossover ballots, said Paul Mitchell, vice president of Political Data Inc., a bipartisan voter-data provider in California.
These voters can still participate in the primary if they go to a polling place, surrender their ballot and request a crossover ballot. How many ultimately participate could be a make-or-break for candidates relying on their support.
“There are pockets of the electorate who are from the independent pool who would have supported any of these candidates,” Mitchell says adding that he wishes it was a cleaner process. “It will clearly impact the race. It will impact who wins.”
The moved-up primary date
Presidential campaigns typically approach California as a campaign contribution ATM rather than a battleground primary state. State lawmakers decided to move the primary election from June to March hoping to give voters more influence in the nominating process. If California cements Sanders’ status as the field’s front-runner or creates new momentum for Biden or Bloomberg, it’ll reflect how the state has transitioned from a primary season afterthought to a key contest on the path to the nomination.
“If California wasn’t part of Super Tuesday dishing out one-fifth of the votes that you need to become the nominee, we might not see this pace and rapid acceleration of this presidential race, that has happened,” Mitchell says. “It’s just whiplash.”
Air game versus ground game
In the lead-up to Super Tuesday, both Sanders and Bloomberg built out enormous campaign operations throughout the Golden State, with the idea that armies of volunteers and staffers would be key to winning the state’s trove of delegates. Bloomberg opened 24 offices and hired more than 300 staff members, while Sanders opened 23 offices and hired more than 100 staff members. Biden, on the other hand, opened only one office in east Los Angeles in the lead-up to the primary, hoping to accumulate momentum in early states.
“Biden hasn’t been out here the same level as some of these other candidates. He was playing this strategy of I am going to win South Carolina and then dive into California,” Mitchell says. “But he is diving into a pool that is shallower because he waited until the last two days to make California his focus.”
California results also will provide early indication of whether Bloomberg’s advertising blitz translates to voter support. After skipping the first four contests, Bloomberg spent a whopping $66 million on advertising in California. He hasn’t attracted thousands to California rallies like Sanders, but if his advertising gamble pays off, it’ll suggest dominating the airwaves can be just as decisive of a factor in modern-day elections.
“We could have a situation on election night where that early vote really shows the strong advantage those two candidates had in the last three weeks of being on the ground here in California,” Mitchell says. “But, the vote that comes in as people go to the polls and people who vote late go up, maybe then you’ll start to see the effect of this narrowing of the field.”
Minority voters
Latino and black voters are core Democratic Party constituencies and will be key for whichever Democrat ultimately secures the nomination.
After struggling to win support of minority voters in the 2016 Democratic Primary, the Sanders campaign aggressively courted black and Latino communities in the lead-up to the 2020 primary. In the Nevada caucuses, Sanders won 53% of the state’s Latino electorate, about three times greater than Biden’s 17%. But among black voters in South Carolina, he struggled compared to Biden, winning 17%, compared to the former vice president’s 61%, according to a Washington Post exit poll.
California and Nevada share a similar demographic profile. In Nevada, Latinos make up about 19% of eligible voters. Political scientists from UCLA’s Latino Policy and Politics Initiative project Latinos will account for 26% of California primary voters; Asian-Americans, 15%; and black voters 6.5%.
Mail ballots
The majority of the California electorate votes using ballots mailed to them rather than at polling places on Election Day. Out of the 16 million vote-by-mail ballots sent to California voters starting Feb. 3, only 3.3 million have been returned. The percentage of mail voters who cast ballots for withdrawn candidates like Klobuchar and Buttigieg could sway the outcome for the remaining candidates.
Vote centers
Fifteen California counties have adopted new requirements passed as part of the 2016 Voter Choice Act. They’ve sent every registered voter a ballot in the mail and replacing traditional polling places with centralized vote centers. “Voter Choice Act” counties provide voters opportunities to vote over a longer period of time, but at less locations. Election officials predict long lines on election day in vote center counties and the primary will offer indications about whether the state’s attempt to expand access to voting has been successful.
More: Super Tuesday: California has huge role in Dem primary, but new vote centers a concern
Vote counting & momentum
California’s audit requirements make the state notoriously slow at counting votes and final election results likely will not be certified until up to a month after the primary. California Secretary of State spokesman Sam Mahood told CBS News he wouldn’t be surprised if more than 2 million ballots remained to be counted at the end of election night.
Vote-counting snafus in Iowa and Nevada generated nationwide outrage and denied leading candidates the kind of momentum that traditionally follows victories in early contests. A delayed final tally in California could deny candidates like Bloomberg or Sanders the victory narrative they hope the results yield.
The predictive capacity of polling
Nearly every poll in recent weeks has shown Sanders with a sizable lead. The latest statewide survey done by USA Today/Suffolk University shows Sanders leading with 37% support, suggesting a conclusive victory. But early polls haven't matched final results in early primary states, and the dramatic shifts in the final hours before election day could render a result unlike polls have predicted.
Polls suggest it's unlikely that anyone will catch Sanders, but the split isn’t a done deal, analysts say.
“I think it probably means that Biden and Warren are going to pick up a lot of support from those absentee ballots and Election Day,” Sonenshein said. That could change how the rest of the country decides to vote. “It’s all about creating a sense of inevitability versus a sense that this has a long way to go.”
Endorsements: Do they matter?
Biden’s South Carolina triumph followed a final-hour endorsement from Rep. Jim Clyburn, one of the state’s most well-known Democratic politicians. But in California, will endorsements from political leaders sway the electorate? Do voters care that State Controller Betty Yee endorsed Biden or that First Lady Jennifer Siebel Newsom endorsed Warren?
Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., had stockpiled endorsements from most of her home state’s politicians. Since her exit from the race put them back into play, candidates have been toiling to recruit her endorsers. Neither Harris nor Gov. Gavin Newsom have endorsed candidates, but the state’s other leading politicians have lined up behind their candidates of choice.
Biden leads the pack in declared support according to FiveThirtyEight, with endorsements from Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, and former Sen. Barbara Boxer. But Bloomberg has secured endorsements from more than 100 mayors, including San Francisco’s London Breed and Stockton’s Michael Tubbs. Endorsements from two of the state’s most high profile black mayors could help Bloomberg sway African-American voters to his corner.
Studies on past elections suggest the importance of endorsements is limited, especially in races where candidates are at ideological odds. Biden’s endorsements haven’t translated to poll numbers. A USA TODAY poll published Sunday gave him 15% of likely Democratic primary voters, behind Bloomberg (17%) and Sanders (37%).
The candidates
Make or break: Bloomberg
After skipping the first-four primary contests, Bloomberg needs a strong showing in Super Tuesday states like California and Texas to prove he has the support required to take on frontrunners like Biden and Sanders. His campaign has invested more in California than any other state, but a last-minute surge of momentum from Biden could cut into his support among California’s Democratic moderates.
“It is a real make-or-break for Bloomberg. If Biden or Warren start to move up the rationale for Bloomberg’s candidacy begins to shake and his entire campaign has been built around Super Tuesday,” Sonenshein said.
Make or break: Biden
Fresh off a convincing victory in South Carolina, a strong Super Tuesday showing from Biden could secure his status as a frontrunner who can challenge Sanders. Biden won endorsements from Buttigieg and Klobuchar after both withdrew from the race, but will their supporters follow suit?
Make or break: Warren
Super Tuesday could be Elizabeth Warren’s last stand. After leading in many California polls as recently as September 2019, Warren plummeted over the subsequent months and hasn’t finished higher than third in any of the first four primary contests. A strong Super Tuesday result could vault her back into the top-tier of candidates or end any hope she has of winning enough delegates to challenge Sanders or Biden.
Gabrielle Canon is the USA Today Network's California reporter. Reach her at gcanon@gannett.com or on Twitter @GabrielleCanon. Sam Metz covers politics. Reach him at samuel.metz@desertsun.com or on Twitter @metzsam.


usatoday--2020-03-02--Pharmaceutical company Sandoz to pay $195 million to resolve price-fixing, bid-rigging charges

WASHINGTON–Generic drug maker Sandoz Inc. reached a $ 195 million settlement with the Justice Department on Monday to resolve criminal charges accusing the New Jersey company in a price-fixing and bid-rigging conspiracy from 2013 to 2015 .
The deal settles a four-count indictment filed in Philadelphia and requires the company to cooperate in a continuing federal investigation .
`` Today ’ s resolution with one of the largest manufacturers of generic drugs is a significant step toward ensuring that prices ... are set by competition , not collusion , '' said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim , chief of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company admitted to conspiring with at least four other generic drug producers and their executives to raise prices on generic drugs used to treat lung infections in cystic fibrosis patients , skin conditions and hypertension , Delrahim said .
Last month , former Sandoz executive Hector Armando Kellum pleaded guilty to similar charges of price-fixing and bid-rigging .
Sandoz is the third company to be charged in the investigation .
In the other two cases , the companies struck similar deferred prosecution agreements .
In a written statement , the company said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that the people involved in the criminal conduct are no longer employed .
Under the terms of the agreement , Sandoz said it will bolster employee training and monitoring .
“ We take seriously our compliance with antitrust laws , and in reaching today ’ s resolution , we are not only resolving historical issues but also underscoring our commitment to continually improving our compliance and training programs and evolving our controls , '' said Sandoz president Carol Lynch .

Pharmaceutical company Sandoz to pay $195 million to resolve price-fixing, bid-rigging charges
Show Caption Hide Caption How opioid settlement payouts are really being spent Not all opioid lawsuit settlement funds go to intervention, treatment and long-term recovery programs. USA TODAY
WASHINGTON–Generic drug maker Sandoz Inc. reached a $195 million settlement with the Justice Department on Monday to resolve criminal charges accusing the New Jersey company in a price-fixing and bid-rigging conspiracy from 2013 to 2015.
The deal settles a four-count indictment filed in Philadelphia and requires the company to cooperate in a continuing federal investigation.
"Today’s resolution with one of the largest manufacturers of generic drugs is a significant step toward ensuring that prices ... are set by competition, not collusion," said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim, chief of the Justice Department's Antitrust Division.
The company admitted to conspiring with at least four other generic drug producers and their executives to raise prices on generic drugs used to treat lung infections in cystic fibrosis patients, skin conditions and hypertension, Delrahim said.
Last month, former Sandoz executive Hector Armando Kellum pleaded guilty to similar charges of price-fixing and bid-rigging.
Sandoz is the third company to be charged in the investigation. In the other two cases, the companies struck similar deferred prosecution agreements.
In a written statement, the company said it cooperated with the government’s investigation and that the people involved in the criminal conduct are no longer employed.
Under the terms of the agreement, Sandoz said it will bolster employee training and monitoring.
“We take seriously our compliance with antitrust laws, and in reaching today’s resolution, we are not only resolving historical issues but also underscoring our commitment to continually improving our compliance and training programs and evolving our controls," said Sandoz president Carol Lynch.


usatoday--2020-03-02--OnPolitics: Why does Super Tuesday matter? Thank you for asking

Let 's be honest with each other Can we just assume that you 've subscribed to a top-notch politics newsletter – yes this one – because you KNOW what Super Tuesday is about ?
Like can we avoid the explanation of why tomorrow is going to be the day that separates pretenders from the contenders ?
No ?
Yeah , you 're right .
Our bosses would not be pleased .
So , here we go .
The reason Super Tuesday is so significant is that there are 1,344 delegates awarded out of the 14 states and one territory to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of all pledged delegates .
• A state-by-state breakdown of what to watch for on Super Tuesday • California has a huge role , but new vote centers a concern Monday was kind of super , though The thing about politics is that we never really know when major announcements are going to come .
Sen. Amy Klobuchar decided to drop out of the race after a string of poor primary showings .
This after Pete Buttigieg dropped out on Sunday .
Both have already announced who they are supporting .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

OnPolitics: Why does Super Tuesday matter? Thank you for asking
Let's be honest with each other
Can we just assume that you've subscribed to a top-notch politics newsletter – yes this one – because you KNOW what Super Tuesday is about?
Like can we avoid the explanation of why tomorrow is going to be the day that separates pretenders from the contenders?
No? Yeah, you're right. Our bosses would not be pleased. So, here we go.
What's at stake?
The reason Super Tuesday is so significant is that there are 1,344 delegates awarded out of the 14 states and one territory to vote that day, or about 34% of all pledged delegates.
Monday was kind of super, though
The thing about politics is that we never really know when major announcements are going to come. Sen. Amy Klobuchar decided to drop out of the race after a string of poor primary showings. This after Pete Buttigieg dropped out on Sunday. Both have already announced who they are supporting.
That's not all of it, though.


usatoday--2020-03-03--Her husband pointed a gun at Black Lives Matter group; LA District Attorney Jackie Lacey says he's s

LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles County 's district attorney , locked in a high-profile campaign for reelection , said her husband is `` profoundly sorry '' for having pointed a gun towards demonstrators who came to the front door of their home .
Video posted on social media and retweeted by Black Lives Matter shows a man at the door pointing a gun and warning demonstrators : `` I will shoot you .
Get off of my porch . ''
He also said he would call the police .
At an emotional press conference , District Attorney Jackie Lacey offered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She said she has offered to meet with representatives from Black Lives Matter , but they have continued to picket at her house in Los Angeles ' San Fernando Valley and confront her in public places .
`` I do not believe it is fair or right for protesters to show up at the home of people who dedicate their lives to public service , '' said Lacey , who is being challenged by former San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon and a former county public defender , Rachel Rossi .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , although all three candidates are Democrats .
Voting confusion in Los Angeles ?
California has huge role in Super Tuesday Dem primary , but new vote centers a concern Black Lives Matter activists have criticized Lacey for being too protective of law enforcement and say she does n't prosecute officers who fatally shoot suspects .
At their own press conference , Black Lives Matter representatives said their members were traumatized by the gun incident .
“ Her husband met us at the door with a gun , ” organizer Melina Abdullah told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heard him cock it , he pointed the gun as he opened the door and then when he saw me , he pointed the gun directly at my chest.
” Los Angeles police were called to a home around 5:40 a.m. with about roughly 50 protesters outside , Officer Lizeth Lomeli said .
Lomeli said there have not been any arrests , but police did not immediately confirm the report of a man brandishing a gun .

Her husband pointed a gun at Black Lives Matter group; LA District Attorney Jackie Lacey says he's sorry
LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles County's district attorney, locked in a high-profile campaign for reelection, said her husband is "profoundly sorry" for having pointed a gun towards demonstrators who came to the front door of their home.
Video posted on social media and retweeted by Black Lives Matter shows a man at the door pointing a gun and warning demonstrators: "I will shoot you. Get off of my porch." He also said he would call the police.
At an emotional press conference, District Attorney Jackie Lacey offered an apology on behalf of her husband. She said she has offered to meet with representatives from Black Lives Matter, but they have continued to picket at her house in Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley and confront her in public places.
"I do not believe it is fair or right for protesters to show up at the home of people who dedicate their lives to public service," said Lacey, who is being challenged by former San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon and a former county public defender, Rachel Rossi. The race in Tuesday's primary is nonpartisan, although all three candidates are Democrats.
Voting confusion in Los Angeles? California has huge role in Super Tuesday Dem primary, but new vote centers a concern
I’m front of DA Jackie Lacey’s house for that community meeting she promised with the @BLMLA crew. Rang her bell to invite her.
Her husband pulled a gun, cocked it, pointed it at my chest and said “I’ll shoot you. I don’t care who you are.” @WP4BL @RealJusticePAC @shaunking pic.twitter.com/WtazUWSJIC — Melina Abdullah (@DocMellyMel) March 2, 2020
Black Lives Matter activists have criticized Lacey for being too protective of law enforcement and say she doesn't prosecute officers who fatally shoot suspects.
At their own press conference, Black Lives Matter representatives said their members were traumatized by the gun incident.
“Her husband met us at the door with a gun,” organizer Melina Abdullah told the television station KTTV. "We heard him cock it, he pointed the gun as he opened the door and then when he saw me, he pointed the gun directly at my chest.”
Los Angeles police were called to a home around 5:40 a.m. with about roughly 50 protesters outside, Officer Lizeth Lomeli said.
Lomeli said there have not been any arrests, but police did not immediately confirm the report of a man brandishing a gun.
Contributing: The Associated Press


usatoday--2020-03-02--A state-by-state breakdown of what to watch for on Super Tuesday, where 15 contests are up for grabs

WASHINGTON – About a third of the delegates needed to secure the Democratic presidential nomination are up for grabs in the voting bonanza known as Super Tuesday .
To put it in perspective , there were 155 pledged delegates available in the race 's first four contests , which were the obsession of the candidates , voters , pundits and political prognosticators for the month of February .
On Super Tuesday , 1,344 delegates are for the taking – as well as 13 delegates representing Americans abroad , who have a week to vote beginning Tuesday .
If a candidate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3,979 candidates available in all the primary contests before the Democratic National Convention on July 13 , the nomination is theirs .
Those numbers help explain why billionaire media mogul Mike Bloomberg decided to skip Iowa , New Hampshire , Nevada and South Carolina to focus his half-billion-dollar advertising blitz on the March 3 states .
Five candidates are still in the hunt : former Vice President Joe Biden , Bloomberg , Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii , Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts .
Some of them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting .
Sanders leads is leading in the delegate count after the first four contests , but Biden closed to within eight with his decisive win Saturday in South Carolina .
Will Sanders put the nomination out of reach after Tuesday 's voting , or will Biden have enough momentum out of the Palmetto State to keep the race competitive ?
What effect will Pete Buttigieg , Amy Klobuchar and Tom Steyer bowing out have on the race ?
How will Bloomberg 's unorthodox approach pay off ?
What to watch : Polls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and far between , so it 's unclear how the primary race is shaping up .
The last survey , which was conducted in July , found Biden with an almost 20-percentage-point lead .
The race has shifted profoundly in the seven months since then .
Biden will be helped by his endorsement from the Alabama Democratic Conference – an influential African American political league .
One of the biggest questions will be how many of the state 's voters are drawn to Bloomberg after his bombardment of advertising .
On the Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is fighting to win back his Senate seat in a battle with former college football coach Tommy Tuberville , Rep. Bradley Byrne and former judge Roy Moore .
If none of them secures a majority , there will be a runoff between the top two finishers March 31 .
Whoever locks up the nomination will take on Democratic incumbent Sen. Doug Jones , who will face an uphill battle for reelection in the deeply red state .
Ala. GOP Senate race : Aides , lawmakers work behind the scenes to try to sway @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : One of the few polls on the race shows Bloomberg with a 1-point lead over Biden .
The Talk Business & Politics/Hendrix College poll was conducted Feb. 6-7 , before the former New York mayor 's lackluster debate performances in Las Vegas and Charleston , South Carolina .
Last month , Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott , the capital 's first popularly elected African American mayor , endorsed Bloomberg for president .
Early voting is underway in the state and continued through Monday .
2020 candidates on the issues : A voter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health care , gun control and more What to watch : Although it 's the mother lode of delegates , candidates in past primaries did not always give California the love its millions of Democratic voters felt they deserved , because it did not vote until early June , when the races were generally already decided .
So state Democrats moved up their primary to Super Tuesday , making the state critical to the candidates ' chances .
A Suffolk University/USA TODAY statewide poll released Sunday found Sanders with the support of 35 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well ahead of Bloomberg at 16 % , Biden at 14 % and Warren at 12 % .
Turnout among Latino voters – who represent a third of the state 's eligible voters and only 15 % of whom register Republican – is likely to be high .
That is probably more good news for Sanders , who won more than half of Latino caucusgoers in neighboring Nevada on Feb. 22 , according to entrance polls .
Why is Super Tuesday so important ?
What 's a delegate ?
And what happens at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : A few facts make Colorado 's primary stand out : It conducts all-mail elections ; it 's one of the only Super Tuesday states with more unaffiliated voters than registered Republicans or Democrats ; and this will be its first primary since ditching the caucus format after the 2016 election .
Sanders , who won the state in 2016 , appears poised to win it again .
Two polls released last week found him with a double-digit lead .
`` I think you can predict that Bernie Sanders will likely do well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Denver-based pollster and analyst .
`` If he wins here , that will show that this state remains a state with a lot of voters who like to shake things up . ''
New nationwide study : Where Americans agree – and where Democrats differ headed into November What to watch : Like Colorado , Maine ditched the caucus system and , for the first time in two decades , will hold a primary instead .
There has n't been much polling on the Democratic race in the state , where Sanders beat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percentage points .
One of the few , a Colby College poll conducted Feb. 10-13 , found Sanders ahead at 25 % , followed by Bloomberg at 14 % and Biden at 12 % .
That same poll found Sara Gideon , the speaker of the Maine House of Representatives , leading the Democratic primary to challenge GOP incumbent Sen. Susan Collins in the fall .
Collins , who seeks a fifth term , faces the toughest race of her Senate career in the moderately blue state after voting with President Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and the tax cuts in 2017 .
Poll : Susan Collins surpasses Mitch McConnell as the most unpopular senator What to watch : Warren is in a fight to win her home state , according to a poll conducted by Suffolk University for the Boston Globe and WBZ-TV that found her with the support of 22 % of likely Democratic primary voters , trailing Sanders at 24 % .
They were followed by Bloomberg ( 13 % ) , Biden ( 11 % ) and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 'm staying in this race ' : Warren ready to take fight to convention – even if she 's losing What to watch : Sanders won the state in 2016 with 62 % of the vote .
This year , he has the endorsement of Rep. Ilhan Omar and the liberal group TakeAction Minnesota .
Minnesota Sen. Klobuchar 's departure could pave the way for Sanders to walk away with the state 's delegates , unless Klobuchar persuades the bulk of her supporters to cast their ballots for Biden , whom she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's New Hampshire surprise aided battle for money and attention What to watch : Trump – who is crushing his lone primary opponent , former Massachusetts Gov .
Bill Weld – will hold a rally in Charlotte the night before the primary .
Republican Sen. Thom Tillis , will be on the ballot in November , and Democratic primary voters will determine Tuesday who will take him on .
The leading candidates to face Tillis are ex-state legislator Cal Cunningham , an Iraq War veteran who ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate 10 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Cunningham has the backing of the national party over Smith , who is more liberal .
In the Democratic presidential race , polls show a tight race with Sanders , Biden and Bloomberg at the top .
'He 's a socialist and I 'm not ' : Will moderates warm up to Bernie Sanders as Super Tuesday approaches ?
What to watch : Sanders has written legislation that would ban hydraulic fracturing , better known as fracking , which has brought a lot of revenue to Oklahoma but has been blamed for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an Oklahoma native , backs such a ban , as does Gabbard .
Bloomberg held a narrow lead in one poll last month , and Biden held a small lead in the other .
Both found Sanders close behind in second place .
What to watch : Overall , Democrats are more moderate than their counterparts in other parts of the country .
Clinton defeated Sanders by 2-to-1 in the state 's 2016 primary .
This year , the more moderate candidates put a greater emphasis on Tennessee , while the Sanders campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state .
John Geer , political science professor at Vanderbilt University and director of the Vanderbilt Poll , said Sanders could eke out a victory if moderates ' votes are split .
'It is so irresponsible ' : Bloomberg criticizes Gov .
Bill Lee 's proposed gun carry law during Memphis stop What to watch : Texas – long a reliably Republican state and historically neglected by Democratic presidential candidates – suddenly finds itself in unfamiliar territory : a courted state in the middle of a heated Democratic presidential primary season .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ prize , boasting the third-largest delegate count of the entire primary season , behind California and New York .
Biden led in most polls on the Texas race through January ( though by margins ranging from 1 to 20 percentage points ) , but four polls released this week all found Sanders ahead by 4 to 15 percentage points .
What to watch : Like California , Utah is a new addition to the Super Tuesday slate after moving up its primary .
It is another state that ditched the caucus format for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caucuses will still be held this year for other races .
Unaffiliated voters make up more than 20,000 of the 87,224 registered voters in the state , and they are able to vote in the Democratic primary .
Sanders received nearly 80 % of the vote in the 2016 caucuses .
A Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics poll released Thursday found him leading as the choice of 28 % of Utah 's Democratic voters , ahead of Bloomberg ( 19 % ) , Warren ( 15 % ) and Biden ( 6 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the presidential election primaries in each state ?
What to watch : Sanders ' home state is probably an easy pickup for the three-term senator ( who was elected as the state 's congressman eight times ) .
In 2016 , Sanders beat Clinton in Vermont with 86 % of the vote .
What to watch : Virginia , once a Republican stronghold , has shifted blue in recent elections .
Its Democratic voters tend to lean more moderate , giving Clinton a nearly 30-point win over Sanders in 2016 .
Polling indicates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Bloomberg , who has put his ample resources to work in the state , opening more than a half-dozen offices .
What to watch : Clinton won the U.S. territory in 2016 with nearly 73 % of the vote to Sanders ' 27 % .
The polling site FiveThirtyEight gives Biden and Sanders roughly the same chances of winning the caucuses .
Contributing : Susan Page , Rick Jervis , Gabrielle Canon , Joey Garrison , Marco della Cava and Nicholas Wu , USA TODAY ; Jacy Marmaduke , The Coloradoan ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minn. ) Times ; Lexi Peery , The Spectrum ( St. George , Utah ) ; Chris Casteel , The Oklahoman ; Natalie Allison , The Tennessean ; The Associated Press

A state-by-state look at Super Tuesday, where 15 contests are up for grabs
Show Caption Hide Caption Super Tuesday vote: Who's in, who's out, and how did we get here? Super Tuesday: who's in, who's out, and how did the field get narrowed to the candidates still in? Matthew Sobocinski, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – About a third of the delegates needed to secure the Democratic presidential nomination are up for grabs in the voting bonanza known as Super Tuesday.
To put it in perspective, there were 155 pledged delegates available in the race's first four contests, which were the obsession of the candidates, voters, pundits and political prognosticators for the month of February. On Super Tuesday, 1,344 delegates are for the taking – as well as 13 delegates representing Americans abroad, who have a week to vote beginning Tuesday.
If a candidate can secure 1,991 or more of the 3,979 delegates available in all the primary contests before the Democratic National Convention on July 13, the nomination is theirs.
The latest: Live Super Tuesday primary election results from 14 state primaries
Those numbers help explain why billionaire media mogul Mike Bloomberg decided to skip Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina to focus his half-billion-dollar advertising blitz on the March 3 states. He scored his first delegates of the campaign season in American Samoa, according to projections.
Five candidates are still in the hunt: former Vice President Joe Biden, Bloomberg, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. Some of them may not be there after Tuesday's voting.
Going into the night, Sanders led in the delegate count after the first four contests, but Biden closed to within eight with his decisive win Saturday in South Carolina. Will Sanders put the nomination out of reach after Tuesday's voting, or will Biden have enough momentum out of the Palmetto State to keep the race competitive? What effect will Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar and Tom Steyer bowing out have on the race? How will Bloomberg's unorthodox approach pay off?
2020 updates, once a day: Get them distilled, explained and straight to your inbox
What is Super Tuesday and why is it important? A previous version of this video displayed an incorrect date in a graphic. It was 1988 when 14 Southern and border states held their primaries. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
Alabama – Biden wins
Delegates up for grabs: 52
Polls close: 8 p.m. EST
Alabama primary results: Follow live results here
What to watch: Polls on the Alabama race have been few and far between, so it's unclear how the primary race is shaping up. The last survey, which was conducted in July, found Biden with an almost 20-percentage-point lead. The race has shifted profoundly in the seven months since then.
As soon as the polls closed, the Associated Press projected that he had won the state.
Biden will be helped by his endorsement from the Alabama Democratic Conference – an influential African American political league. One of the biggest questions will be how many of the state's voters are drawn to Bloomberg after his bombardment of advertising.
On the Republican side, former Attorney General Jeff Sessions is fighting to win back his Senate seat in a battle with former college football coach Tommy Tuberville, Rep. Bradley Byrne and former judge Roy Moore. If none of them secures a majority, there will be a runoff between the top two finishers March 31. Whoever locks up the nomination will take on Democratic incumbent Sen. Doug Jones, who will face an uphill battle for reelection in the deeply red state.
Ala. GOP Senate race: Aides, lawmakers work behind the scenes to try to sway Trump on Jeff Sessions
Arkansas
Delegates up for grabs: 31
Polls close: 8:30 p.m. EST
Arkansas primary results: Follow live results here
What to watch: One of the few polls on the race shows Bloomberg with a 1-point lead over Biden. The Talk Business & Politics/Hendrix College poll was conducted Feb. 6-7, before the former New York mayor's lackluster debate performances in Las Vegas and Charleston, South Carolina.
Last month, Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott, the capital's first popularly elected African American mayor, endorsed Bloomberg for president.
Early voting is underway in the state and continued through Monday.
2020 candidates on the issues: A voter's guide to where they stand on health care, gun control and more
California
Delegates up for grabs: 415
Polls close: 11 p.m. EST
California primary results: Follow live results here
What to watch: Although it's the mother lode of delegates, candidates in past primaries did not always give California the love its millions of Democratic voters felt they deserved, because it did not vote until early June, when the races were generally already decided.
So state Democrats moved up their primary to Super Tuesday, making the state critical to the candidates' chances.
A Suffolk University/USA TODAY statewide poll released Sunday found Sanders with the support of 35% of likely Democratic primary voters, well ahead of Bloomberg at 16%, Biden at 14% and Warren at 12%.
Turnout among Latino voters – who represent a third of the state's eligible voters and only 15% of whom register Republican – is likely to be high. That is probably more good news for Sanders, who won more than half of Latino caucusgoers in neighboring Nevada on Feb. 22, according to entrance polls.
Why is Super Tuesday so important? What's a delegate? And what happens at a brokered convention?
Colorado
Delegates up for grabs: 67
Polls close: 9 p.m. EST
Colorado primary results: Follow live results here
What to watch: A few facts make Colorado's primary stand out: It conducts all-mail elections; it's one of the only Super Tuesday states with more unaffiliated voters than registered Republicans or Democrats; and this will be its first primary since ditching the caucus format after the 2016 election.
Sanders, who won the state in 2016, appears poised to win it again. Two polls released last week found him with a double-digit lead.
"I think you can predict that Bernie Sanders will likely do well," said Floyd Ciruli, a Denver-based pollster and analyst. "If he wins here, that will show that this state remains a state with a lot of voters who like to shake things up."
New nationwide study: Where Americans agree – and where Democrats differ headed into November
Maine
Delegates up for grabs: 24
Polls close: 8 p.m. EST
Maine primary results: Follow live results here
What to watch: Like Colorado, Maine ditched the caucus system and, for the first time in two decades, will hold a primary instead.
There hasn't been much polling on the Democratic race in the state, where Sanders beat Hillary Clinton in 2016 by nearly 30 percentage points. One of the few, a Colby College poll conducted Feb. 10-13, found Sanders ahead at 25%, followed by Bloomberg at 14% and Biden at 12%.
That same poll found Sara Gideon, the speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, leading the Democratic primary to challenge GOP incumbent Sen. Susan Collins in the fall.
Collins, who seeks a fifth term, faces the toughest race of her Senate career in the moderately blue state after voting with President Donald Trump on controversial issues such as impeachment, the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and the tax cuts in 2017.
Poll: Susan Collins surpasses Mitch McConnell as the most unpopular senator
Massachusetts
Delegates up for grabs: 91
Polls close: 8 p.m. EST
Massachusetts primary results: Follow live results here
What to watch: Warren is in a fight to win her home state, according to a poll conducted by Suffolk University for the Boston Globe and WBZ-TV that found her with the support of 22% of likely Democratic primary voters, trailing Sanders at 24%.
They were followed by Bloomberg (13%), Biden (11%) and Gabbard (4%).
'I'm staying in this race': Warren ready to take fight to convention – even if she's losing
Minnesota
Delegates up for grabs: 75
Polls close: 9 p.m. EST
Minnesota primary results: Follow live results here
What to watch: Sanders won the state in 2016 with 62% of the vote. This year, he has the endorsement of Rep. Ilhan Omar and the liberal group TakeAction Minnesota.
Minnesota Sen. Klobuchar's departure could pave the way for Sanders to walk away with the state's delegates, unless Klobuchar persuades the bulk of her supporters to cast their ballots for Biden, whom she endorsed.
'Defied expectations': Klobuchar's New Hampshire surprise aided battle for money and attention
North Carolina – Biden wins
Delegates up for grabs: 110
Polls close: 7:30 p.m. EST
North Carolina primary results: Follow live results here
What to watch: Trump – who is crushing his lone primary opponent, former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld – will hold a rally in Charlotte the night before the primary.
As soon as the polls closed, the Associated Press projected, based on exit polling data, that Biden had won.
Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, will be on the ballot in November, and Democratic primary voters will determine Tuesday who will take him on.
The leading candidates to face Tillis are ex-state legislator Cal Cunningham, an Iraq War veteran who ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate 10 years ago, and state Sen. Erica Smith. Cunningham has the backing of the national party over Smith, who is more liberal.
In the Democratic presidential race, polls show a tight race with Sanders, Biden and Bloomberg at the top.
'He's a socialist and I'm not': Will moderates warm up to Bernie Sanders as Super Tuesday approaches?
Oklahoma
Delegates up for grabs: 37
Polls close: 8 p.m. EST
Oklahoma primary results: Follow live results here
What to watch: Sanders has written legislation that would ban hydraulic fracturing, better known as fracking, which has brought a lot of revenue to Oklahoma but has been blamed for earthquakes and water pollution. Warren, an Oklahoma native, backs such a ban, as does Gabbard.
Bloomberg held a narrow lead in one poll last month, and Biden held a small lead in the other. Both found Sanders close behind in second place.
Money primary: Sanders holds Democratic fundraising lead in Oklahoma
Tennessee
Delegates up for grabs: 64
Polls close: 8 p.m. EST (Due to deadly tornadoes, some polls around Nashville will remain open until 10 p.m EST)
Tennessee primary results: Follow live results here
What to watch: Overall, Democrats are more moderate than their counterparts in other parts of the country. Clinton defeated Sanders by 2-to-1 in the state's 2016 primary. This year, the more moderate candidates put a greater emphasis on Tennessee, while the Sanders campaign dedicated relatively little time or resources in the state.
John Geer, political science professor at Vanderbilt University and director of the Vanderbilt Poll, said Sanders could eke out a victory if moderates' votes are split.
'It is so irresponsible': Bloomberg criticizes Gov. Bill Lee's proposed gun carry law during Memphis stop
Texas
Delegates up for grabs: 228
Polls close: 8 p.m. EST
Texas primary results: Follow live results here
What to watch: Texas – long a reliably Republican state and historically neglected by Democratic presidential candidates – suddenly finds itself in unfamiliar territory: a courted state in the middle of a heated Democratic presidential primary season.
The Lone Star State is a major prize, boasting the third-largest delegate count of the entire primary season, behind California and New York.
Biden led in most polls on the Texas race through January (though by margins ranging from 1 to 20 percentage points), but four polls released this week all found Sanders ahead by 4 to 15 percentage points.
Poll: Bernie Sanders leads Democratic primary candidates with Texas Latino voters
Utah
Delegates up for grabs: 29
Polls close: 10 p.m. EST
Utah primary results: Follow live results here
What to watch: Like California, Utah is a new addition to the Super Tuesday slate after moving up its primary. It is another state that ditched the caucus format for the presidential primaries after 2016 – although caucuses will still be held this year for other races.
Unaffiliated voters make up more than 20,000 of the 87,224 registered voters in the state, and they are able to vote in the Democratic primary.
Sanders received nearly 80% of the vote in the 2016 caucuses. A Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics poll released Thursday found him leading as the choice of 28% of Utah's Democratic voters, ahead of Bloomberg (19%), Warren (15%) and Biden (6%).
Election 2020: When are the presidential election primaries in each state?
Vermont – Sanders wins
Delegates up for grabs: 16
Polls close: 7 p.m. EST
Vermont primary results: Follow live results here
What to watch: Sanders' home state is probably an easy pickup for the three-term senator (who was elected as the state's congressman eight times).
In 2016, Sanders beat Clinton in Vermont with 86% of the vote.
As soon as the polls closed, Sanders was projected the winner.
Republican primary: Vermont's Republican governor endorses Bill Weld, not Trump
Virginia - Biden wins
Delegates up for grabs: 99
Polls close: 7 p.m. EST
Virginia primary results: Follow live results here
What to watch: Virginia, once a Republican stronghold, has shifted blue in recent elections. Its Democratic voters tend to lean more moderate, giving Clinton a nearly 30-point win over Sanders in 2016.
As soon as the polls closed, the AP projected that Biden had won.
Polling indicates moderates could split their votes between Biden and Bloomberg, who has put his ample resources to work in the state, opening more than a half-dozen offices.
Huge staff, ad blitzes, free T-shirts:How billionaire Michael Bloomberg campaigns for the White House
American Samoa Democratic caucuses – Bloomberg wins
Delegates up for grabs: 6
Polls close: 8 p.m. EST
American Samoa caucuses results: Follow live results here
What to watch: Clinton won the U.S. territory in 2016 with nearly 73% of the vote to Sanders' 27%.
The polling site FiveThirtyEight gives Biden and Sanders roughly the same chances of winning the caucuses.
Want to talk more about politics?: Join our Facebook group: ‘Across the Aisle, Across the Nation.’
Contributing: Susan Page, Rick Jervis, Gabrielle Canon, Joey Garrison, Marco della Cava and Nicholas Wu, USA TODAY; Jacy Marmaduke, The Coloradoan; Nora Hertel, St. Cloud (Minn.) Times; Lexi Peery, The Spectrum (St. George, Utah); Chris Casteel, The Oklahoman; Natalie Allison, The Tennessean; The Associated Press


usatoday--2020-03-02--Sen. Amy Klobuchar drops out of the presidential race ahead of Super Tuesday

Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar has suspended her campaign for president a day before Super Tuesday primaries .

Amy Klobuchar ends presidential campaign ahead of Super Tuesday
Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar has suspended her campaign for president a day before Super Tuesday primaries.
USA TODAY, Wochit


usatoday--2020-03-02--Ex-Sen. Harry Reid endorses Joe Biden for president: 'A much-needed stabilizing force'

RENO , Nev. – Harry Reid is endorsing former Vice President Joe Biden for president , the ex-Nevada senator announced Monday .
In a statement , Reid said President Donald Trump has done `` unspeakable damage '' to the country .
Reid said the Democratic Party needs a candidate like Biden who can amass a large and diverse coalition to unseat the first-term Republican president .
“ Joe Biden ’ s strength of character and deep experience stand in the starkest contrast to Trump ’ s amorality , corruption and utter incompetence , '' Reid said in the statement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ force following Trump ’ s disastrous term , offering a positive and progressive alternative to Trump ’ s dark vision of racism , xenophobia and policies built on cruelty and exclusion .
I believe Biden is best able to defeat Donald Trump and enact the policies we all care about . ''
Joe Biden seeks to consolidate moderate vote : Endorsements from Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg Opinion : Goodbye for now , Mayor Pete .
But this is not farewell .
Reid , a Democrat and former Senate majority leader , retired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ powerful political kingmaker in Nevada and has maintained a longstanding relationship with Biden , who also spent more than three decades in the Senate .
Monday 's announcement delivers on Reid 's promise not to endorse ahead of Nevada 's closely watched presidential caucus .
It also counts as the latest sign that establishment Democrats are rallying around Biden , and against progressive firebrand Bernie Sanders , ahead of Super Tuesday – when more than one-third of delegates to the Democratic National Convention are awarded .
Former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , D-Minn. , have both dropped their White House bids and indicated they would endorse Biden ahead of the crucial spate of presidential nominating contests .
Affordable Care Act : Supreme Court once again will decide fate

Ex-Sen. Harry Reid endorses Joe Biden for president: 'A much-needed stabilizing force'
Show Caption Hide Caption How the DNC changed its rules since Sanders, Clinton in 2016 The primaries are here! How does one get elected in the first place and what is in store for the Democratic National Convention in 2020? We explain. Just the FAQs
RENO, Nev. – Harry Reid is endorsing former Vice President Joe Biden for president, the ex-Nevada senator announced Monday.
In a statement, Reid said President Donald Trump has done "unspeakable damage" to the country. Reid said the Democratic Party needs a candidate like Biden who can amass a large and diverse coalition to unseat the first-term Republican president.
“Joe Biden’s strength of character and deep experience stand in the starkest contrast to Trump’s amorality, corruption and utter incompetence," Reid said in the statement.
"Biden will be a much-needed stabilizing force following Trump’s disastrous term, offering a positive and progressive alternative to Trump’s dark vision of racism, xenophobia and policies built on cruelty and exclusion. I believe Biden is best able to defeat Donald Trump and enact the policies we all care about."
Joe Biden seeks to consolidate moderate vote: Endorsements from Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg
Opinion: Goodbye for now, Mayor Pete. But this is not farewell.
Reid, a Democrat and former Senate majority leader, retired in 2016.
But he remains a powerful political kingmaker in Nevada and has maintained a longstanding relationship with Biden, who also spent more than three decades in the Senate.
Monday's announcement delivers on Reid's promise not to endorse ahead of Nevada's closely watched presidential caucus.
It also counts as the latest sign that establishment Democrats are rallying around Biden, and against progressive firebrand Bernie Sanders, ahead of Super Tuesday – when more than one-third of delegates to the Democratic National Convention are awarded.
Former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg and U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., have both dropped their White House bids and indicated they would endorse Biden ahead of the crucial spate of presidential nominating contests.
Coronavirus: Live updates
Affordable Care Act: Supreme Court once again will decide fate


usatoday--2020-03-02--Supreme Court skeptical of granting new hearings to asylum seekers

WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court 's conservative majority appeared unlikely Monday to give asylum seekers claiming fear of persecution abroad a federal court hearing to avoid quick removal from the United States .
While the court 's conservatives and liberals seemed divided on the question , a turning point came near the end of the one-hour oral argument when Chief Justice John Roberts said the case could lead to a `` significant expansion '' of new claims .
`` Anybody can get to a point of entry , '' Roberts said , prompting the lawyer representing Sri Lanka native Vijayakumar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seekers fit the same category .
Only 30 petitions for federal court hearings have been filed so far , American Civil Liberties Union attorney Lee Gelernt said .
But Justice Department Deputy Solicitor General Edwin Kneedler said the figure is closer to 100 and warned of `` the potential for a flood '' of cases if the Supreme Court rules for Thuraissigiam .
The case represents a crucial test of the Trump administration 's effort to speed the removal of thousands of migrants without granting federal court hearings .
The process is allowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1996 .
The California-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit , which has drawn Trump 's ire for its decisions on immigration , ruled last year that efforts to remove asylum seekers under such `` expedited removal '' procedures violated their constitutional rights .
The Justice Department argues that extending the streamlined process could add years of court wrangling .
After losing the case , the administration in July expanded the expedited removal system to incorporate asylum seekers apprehended anywhere in the country who have not been continuously present in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is one of several challenging the Trump administration 's efforts to crack down on migrants seeking asylum after crossing the Mexican border .
Just last Friday , a federal appeals court blocked the administration ’ s policy of returning asylum seekers to Mexico to await court hearings , a practice immigrant rights advocates have denounced as inhumane and deadly .
Last September , the justices temporarily upheld a different policy denying asylum to those who do not seek protection first from a country they pass through , such as Mexico .
But in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a policy aimed at denying asylum to migrants crossing the border illegally rather than at designated crossings .
Trump 's three-year crackdown on immigration has led to a surge in lawsuits reaching the Supreme Court , where a rebuilt conservative majority increasingly is paying dividends for him .
In the past year , the justices also let the administration deter poor immigrants and redirect military funds to build a wall along the southern border .
Federal officials ' efforts to force cooperation from states and cities could be next .
The high court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since its term began in October , including a challenge to Trump 's plan to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals ( DACA ) program that has helped nearly 700,000 undocumented immigrants work without fear of deportation .
The program was created by President Barack Obama in 2012 to help young , undocumented immigrants brought to the country as children .
During oral argument in November , the court 's conservative justices said the administration had ample policy reasons to end it .
A ruling is expected by June , in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In Monday 's case , Thuraissigiam was arrested 25 yards north of the Mexican border and immediately placed in expedited removal proceedings .
Immigration officials determined that he did not have a credible fear of persecution , even though he is a member of Sri Lanka 's Tamil ethnic minority that faces beatings and torture at the hands of the government .
Gelernt told the justices that such asylum seekers `` are removed too quickly .
They 're at the border ( and ) they ca n't find lawyers . ''
Associate Justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best kind of claim you can make '' for a new hearing , and her liberal colleagues seemed to agree .
But Associate Justice Samuel Alito said a ruling in his favor would be `` far-reaching . ''

Supreme Court skeptical of granting new hearings to asylum seekers
Show Caption Hide Caption Asylum claims at the border have risen, here's why Alan Gomez on the increase in asylum claims at the southern border and why Trump administration policies tightening restrictions are causing tension. USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court's conservative majority appeared unlikely Monday to give asylum seekers claiming fear of persecution abroad a federal court hearing to avoid quick removal from the United States.
While the court's conservatives and liberals seemed divided on the question, a turning point came near the end of the one-hour oral argument when Chief Justice John Roberts said the case could lead to a "significant expansion" of new claims.
"Anybody can get to a point of entry," Roberts said, prompting the lawyer representing Sri Lanka native Vijayakumar Thuraissigiam to acknowledge that about 9,500 asylum seekers fit the same category.
Only 30 petitions for federal court hearings have been filed so far, American Civil Liberties Union attorney Lee Gelernt said. But Justice Department Deputy Solicitor General Edwin Kneedler said the figure is closer to 100 and warned of "the potential for a flood" of cases if the Supreme Court rules for Thuraissigiam.
More: President Trump's immigration crackdown inundates Supreme Court
The case represents a crucial test of the Trump administration's effort to speed the removal of thousands of migrants without granting federal court hearings. The process is allowed under a law passed by Congress in 1996.
The California-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, which has drawn Trump's ire for its decisions on immigration, ruled last year that efforts to remove asylum seekers under such "expedited removal" procedures violated their constitutional rights.
The Justice Department argues that extending the streamlined process could add years of court wrangling. After losing the case, the administration in July expanded the expedited removal system to incorporate asylum seekers apprehended anywhere in the country who have not been continuously present in the USA for two years.
The case is one of several challenging the Trump administration's efforts to crack down on migrants seeking asylum after crossing the Mexican border.
Just last Friday, a federal appeals court blocked the administration’s policy of returning asylum seekers to Mexico to await court hearings, a practice immigrant rights advocates have denounced as inhumane and deadly.
Last September, the justices temporarily upheld a different policy denying asylum to those who do not seek protection first from a country they pass through, such as Mexico.
But in 2018, the Supreme Court temporarily blocked a policy aimed at denying asylum to migrants crossing the border illegally rather than at designated crossings.
Trump's three-year crackdown on immigration has led to a surge in lawsuits reaching the Supreme Court, where a rebuilt conservative majority increasingly is paying dividends for him.
In the past year, the justices also let the administration deter poor immigrants and redirect military funds to build a wall along the southern border. Federal officials' efforts to force cooperation from states and cities could be next.
The high court has heard arguments in eight immigration cases since its term began in October, including a challenge to Trump's plan to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program that has helped nearly 700,000 undocumented immigrants work without fear of deportation.
The program was created by President Barack Obama in 2012 to help young, undocumented immigrants brought to the country as children. During oral argument in November, the court's conservative justices said the administration had ample policy reasons to end it. A ruling is expected by June, in the midst of the presidential election campaign.
In Monday's case, Thuraissigiam was arrested 25 yards north of the Mexican border and immediately placed in expedited removal proceedings. Immigration officials determined that he did not have a credible fear of persecution, even though he is a member of Sri Lanka's Tamil ethnic minority that faces beatings and torture at the hands of the government.
Gelernt told the justices that such asylum seekers "are removed too quickly. They're at the border (and) they can't find lawyers."
Associate Justice Elena Kagan said Thuraissigiam had "the best kind of claim you can make" for a new hearing, and her liberal colleagues seemed to agree.
But Associate Justice Samuel Alito said a ruling in his favor would be "far-reaching."


usatoday--2020-03-02--Supreme Court won't hear challenge to ban on bump stocks

WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court refused Monday to consider a challenge to the Trump administration 's ban on bump stocks , a rapid-fire device used in the 2017 mass killing of 59 people gunned down in Las Vegas .
The dispute had more to do with the federal government 's decision-making process than the weapons ban itself .
Challengers contended lower courts allowed the Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms & Explosives too much leeway to impose the ban without greater congressional input .
For decades , limiting the regulatory power of federal agencies has been a paramount goal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cut back on agency deference , most recently last June , without stripping agencies of the power to interpret ambiguous regulations .
The Supreme Court refused last year to upend the ban on bump stocks , a device that allows rifles to mimic automatic weapons .
The ban prohibits owning , buying , selling or `` otherwise transferring '' bump stocks .
The weapon was used in a mass shooting in Las Vegas in October 2017 that killed 59 people and injured 869 others .
It remains the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump instructed the attorney general to regulate bump stocks ' use , and 10 months later , Justice Department officials issued the ban , giving owners 90 days to either turn bump stocks over to federal agents or melt , shred or crush them .
Bump stocks combine two legal devices , a plastic stock and a firearm , that together function like a machine gun .
The bump stock harnesses the recoil of the rifle to accelerate trigger pulls , technically “ bumping ” the trigger for each shot after it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Supreme Court won't hear challenge to ban on bump stocks
Show Caption Hide Caption Las Vegas shooting: Woman injured in shooting dies two years later A woman injured at the 2017 Las Vegas shooting has died. She is the 59th victim of the country's deadliest mass shooting. USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court refused Monday to consider a challenge to the Trump administration's ban on bump stocks, a rapid-fire device used in the 2017 mass killing of 59 people gunned down in Las Vegas.
The dispute had more to do with the federal government's decision-making process than the weapons ban itself. Challengers contended lower courts allowed the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives too much leeway to impose the ban without greater congressional input.
For decades, limiting the regulatory power of federal agencies has been a paramount goal of conservatives. The Supreme Court has cut back on agency deference, most recently last June, without stripping agencies of the power to interpret ambiguous regulations.
The Supreme Court refused last year to upend the ban on bump stocks, a device that allows rifles to mimic automatic weapons. The ban prohibits owning, buying, selling or "otherwise transferring" bump stocks.
The weapon was used in a mass shooting in Las Vegas in October 2017 that killed 59 people and injured 869 others. It remains the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.
In February 2018, President Donald Trump instructed the attorney general to regulate bump stocks' use, and 10 months later, Justice Department officials issued the ban, giving owners 90 days to either turn bump stocks over to federal agents or melt, shred or crush them.
Bump stocks combine two legal devices, a plastic stock and a firearm, that together function like a machine gun. The bump stock harnesses the recoil of the rifle to accelerate trigger pulls, technically “bumping” the trigger for each shot after it bounces off the shooter’s shoulder.


usatoday--2020-03-03--A state-by-state breakdown of what to watch for on Super Tuesday, where 15 contests are up for grabs

WASHINGTON – About a third of the delegates needed to secure the Democratic presidential nomination are up for grabs in the voting bonanza known as Super Tuesday .
To put it in perspective , there were 155 pledged delegates available in the race 's first four contests , which were the obsession of the candidates , voters , pundits and political prognosticators for the month of February .
On Super Tuesday , 1,344 delegates are for the taking – as well as 13 delegates representing Americans abroad , who have a week to vote beginning Tuesday .
If a candidate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3,979 delegates available in all the primary contests before the Democratic National Convention on July 13 , the nomination is theirs .
Those numbers help explain why billionaire media mogul Mike Bloomberg decided to skip Iowa , New Hampshire , Nevada and South Carolina to focus his half-billion-dollar advertising blitz on the March 3 states .
Five candidates are still in the hunt : former Vice President Joe Biden , Bloomberg , Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii , Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts .
Some of them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting .
Sanders leads in the delegate count after the first four contests , but Biden closed to within eight with his decisive win Saturday in South Carolina .
Will Sanders put the nomination out of reach after Tuesday 's voting , or will Biden have enough momentum out of the Palmetto State to keep the race competitive ?
What effect will Pete Buttigieg , Amy Klobuchar and Tom Steyer bowing out have on the race ?
How will Bloomberg 's unorthodox approach pay off ?
What to watch : Polls on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between , so it 's unclear how the primary race is shaping up .
The last survey , which was conducted in July , found Biden with an almost 20-percentage-point lead .
The race has shifted profoundly in the seven months since then .
Biden will be helped by his endorsement from the Alabama Democratic Conference – an influential African American political league .
One of the biggest questions will be how many of the state 's voters are drawn to Bloomberg after his bombardment of advertising .
On the Republican side , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to win back his Senate seat in a battle with former college football coach Tommy Tuberville , Rep. Bradley Byrne and former judge Roy Moore .
If none of them secures a majority , there will be a runoff between the top two finishers March 31 .
Whoever locks up the nomination will take on Democratic incumbent Sen. Doug Jones , who will face an uphill battle for reelection in the deeply red state .
Ala. GOP Senate race : Aides , lawmakers work behind the scenes to try to sway Trump on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the few polls on the race shows Bloomberg with a 1-point lead over Biden .
The Talk Business & Politics/Hendrix College poll was conducted Feb. 6-7 , before the former New York mayor 's lackluster debate performances in Las Vegas and Charleston , South Carolina .
Last month , Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott , the capital 's first popularly elected African American mayor , endorsed Bloomberg for president .
Early voting is underway in the state and continued through Monday .
2020 candidates on the issues : A voter 's guide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , gun control and more What to watch : Although it 's the mother lode of delegates , candidates in past primaries did not always give California the love its millions of Democratic voters felt they deserved , because it did not vote until early June , when the races were generally already decided .
So state Democrats moved up their primary to Super Tuesday , making the state critical to the candidates ' chances .
A Suffolk University/USA TODAY statewide poll released Sunday found Sanders with the support of 35 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Bloomberg at 16 % , Biden at 14 % and Warren at 12 % .
Turnout among Latino voters – who represent a third of the state 's eligible voters and only 15 % of whom register Republican – is likely to be high .
That is probably more good news for Sanders , who won more than half of Latino caucusgoers in neighboring Nevada on Feb. 22 , according to entrance polls .
Why is Super Tuesday so important ?
What 's a delegate ?
And what happens at a brokered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few facts make Colorado 's primary stand out : It conducts all-mail elections ; it 's one of the only Super Tuesday states with more unaffiliated voters than registered Republicans or Democrats ; and this will be its first primary since ditching the caucus format after the 2016 election .
Sanders , who won the state in 2016 , appears poised to win it again .
Two polls released last week found him with a double-digit lead .
`` I think you can predict that Bernie Sanders will likely do well , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and analyst .
`` If he wins here , that will show that this state remains a state with a lot of voters who like to shake things up . ''
New nationwide study : Where Americans agree – and where Democrats differ headed into November What to watch : Like Colorado , Maine ditched the caucus system and , for the first time in two decades , will hold a primary instead .
There has n't been much polling on the Democratic race in the state , where Sanders beat Hillary Clinton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
One of the few , a Colby College poll conducted Feb. 10-13 , found Sanders ahead at 25 % , followed by Bloomberg at 14 % and Biden at 12 % .
That same poll found Sara Gideon , the speaker of the Maine House of Representatives , leading the Democratic primary to challenge GOP incumbent Sen. Susan Collins in the fall .
Collins , who seeks a fifth term , faces the toughest race of her Senate career in the moderately blue state after voting with President Donald Trump on controversial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and the tax cuts in 2017 .
Poll : Susan Collins surpasses Mitch McConnell as the most unpopular senator What to watch : Warren is in a fight to win her home state , according to a poll conducted by Suffolk University for the Boston Globe and WBZ-TV that found her with the support of 22 % of likely Democratic primary voters , trailing Sanders at 24 % .
They were followed by Bloomberg ( 13 % ) , Biden ( 11 % ) and Gabbard ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staying in this race ' : Warren ready to take fight to convention – even if she 's losing What to watch : Sanders won the state in 2016 with 62 % of the vote .
This year , he has the endorsement of Rep. Ilhan Omar and the liberal group TakeAction Minnesota .
Minnesota Sen. Klobuchar 's departure could pave the way for Sanders to walk away with the state 's delegates , unless Klobuchar persuades the bulk of her supporters to cast their ballots for Biden , whom she endorsed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hampshire surprise aided battle for money and attention What to watch : Trump – who is crushing his lone primary opponent , former Massachusetts Gov .
Bill Weld – will hold a rally in Charlotte the night before the primary .
Republican Sen. Thom Tillis , will be on the ballot in November , and Democratic primary voters will determine Tuesday who will take him on .
The leading candidates to face Tillis are ex-state legislator Cal Cunningham , an Iraq War veteran who ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate 10 years ago , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has the backing of the national party over Smith , who is more liberal .
In the Democratic presidential race , polls show a tight race with Sanders , Biden and Bloomberg at the top .
'He 's a socialist and I 'm not ' : Will moderates warm up to Bernie Sanders as Super Tuesday approaches ?
What to watch : Sanders has written legislation that would ban hydraulic fracturing , better known as fracking , which has brought a lot of revenue to Oklahoma but has been blamed for earthquakes and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ native , backs such a ban , as does Gabbard .
Bloomberg held a narrow lead in one poll last month , and Biden held a small lead in the other .
Both found Sanders close behind in second place .
What to watch : Overall , Democrats are more moderate than their counterparts in other parts of the country .
Clinton defeated Sanders by 2-to-1 in the state 's 2016 primary .
This year , the more moderate candidates put a greater emphasis on Tennessee , while the Sanders campaign dedicated relatively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
John Geer , political science professor at Vanderbilt University and director of the Vanderbilt Poll , said Sanders could eke out a victory if moderates ' votes are split .
'It is so irresponsible ' : Bloomberg criticizes Gov .
Bill Lee 's proposed gun carry law during Memphis stop What to watch : Texas – long a reliably Republican state and historically neglected by Democratic presidential candidates – suddenly finds itself in unfamiliar territory : a courted state in the middle of a heated Democratic presidential primary season .
The Lone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boasting the third-largest delegate count of the entire primary season , behind California and New York .
Biden led in most polls on the Texas race through January ( though by margins ranging from 1 to 20 percentage points ) , but four polls released this week all found Sanders ahead by 4 to 15 percentage points .
What to watch : Like California , Utah is a new addition to the Super Tuesday slate after moving up its primary .
It is another state that ditched the caucus format for the presidential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still be held this year for other races .
Unaffiliated voters make up more than 20,000 of the 87,224 registered voters in the state , and they are able to vote in the Democratic primary .
Sanders received nearly 80 % of the vote in the 2016 caucuses .
A Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics poll released Thursday found him leading as the choice of 28 % of Utah 's Democratic voters , ahead of Bloomberg ( 19 % ) , Warren ( 15 % ) and Biden ( 6 % ) .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ election primaries in each state ?
What to watch : Sanders ' home state is probably an easy pickup for the three-term senator ( who was elected as the state 's congressman eight times ) .
In 2016 , Sanders beat Clinton in Vermont with 86 % of the vote .
What to watch : Virginia , once a Republican stronghold , has shifted blue in recent elections .
Its Democratic voters tend to lean more moderate , giving Clinton a nearly 30-point win over Sanders in 2016 .
Polling indicates moderates could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who has put his ample resources to work in the state , opening more than a half-dozen offices .
What to watch : Clinton won the U.S. territory in 2016 with nearly 73 % of the vote to Sanders ' 27 % .
The polling site FiveThirtyEight gives Biden and Sanders roughly the same chances of winning the caucuses .
Contributing : Susan Page , Rick Jervis , Gabrielle Canon , Joey Garrison , Marco della Cava and Nicholas Wu , USA TODAY ; Jacy Marmaduke , The Coloradoan ; Nora Hertel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Times ; Lexi Peery , The Spectrum ( St. George , Utah ) ; Chris Casteel , The Oklahoman ; Natalie Allison , The Tennessean ; The Associated Press