Former Vice President of the United States Joe Biden was declared the winner of the Democratic Party’s primary elections in Michigan, Mississippi and Missouri tonight, and his nomination as an adversary candidate for Donald Trump in the November presidential elections is almost guaranteed.
Biden, 77, was declared the winner in Mississippi and Missouri as soon as polling stations closed in both states at 7 pm local time (midnight in mainland Portugal).
The only doubt is the size of the candidate’s victories and the difference to his biggest rival, Senator Bernie Sanders.
In Mississippi, where Hillary Clinton beat Sanders in the 2016 primary with a 66 point advantage (82% against 16%), Biden was on the way to a victory by similar numbers: 83% against 14% at a time when the count has not yet it had come in half.
In Missouri, where Sanders almost surprised Clinton four years ago (he lost by just 0.25%), Biden’s victory will be less relaxed: 53% against 27% at the start of the vote count.
But eyes were on Michigan, one of six states to vote on Tuesday and the one that more delegates will distribute to candidates (125). In 2016, Bernie Sanders defeated Hillary Clinton by a short margin, and the loss to Joe Biden this year is a severe blow to the Vermont senator’s campaign.
Located in the U.S. Midwest region, it is one of three states – with Pennsylvania and Wisconsin – in which Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in 2016, after his voters gave Barack Obama the victory in 2008 and 2012.
In November 2020, victory in the presidential election will also depend on victories in states like Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin – which is why this Tuesday’s result is important, to understand the strength of Biden and Sanders in the Midwest.
According to projections, Joe Biden maintains his winning momentum and joins Michigan with Mississippi and Missouri – the count is still in progress and the former United States vice president had a 12 point advantage over the Vermont senator. (53% against 41%).
In addition to Mississippi, Missouri and Michigan, North Dakota (polls close at 1 am), Idaho (3 am) and the state of Washington (4 am) also voted.
At the start of Tuesday’s voting series, Joe Biden led the delegate count with 628 against Bernie Sanders’ 545. The nominee is the candidate who wins at least 1991 delegates.
Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard is the only one who remains in the race beyond the two big favorites and adds two delegates.
Biden returned to the position of favorite at the end of February, when he won in South Carolina with a 28 point advantage over Sanders.
In the days that followed, the path of the former United States Vice President for the nomination was freer, with the withdrawals of two other candidates from the centrist wing of the Democratic Party – Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar went out and declared their support for Biden.
