This Tuesday, March 10, might not be quite as super as last Tuesday. But it’s still important: Six states — including the potentially decisive Michigan — will have the chance to weigh in on a dramatically reshaped Democratic presidential primary.
Idaho, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, and Washington will all join Michigan in voting March 10, and voters will have a much-reduced Democratic field to choose from: Only former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders have a real shot at the Democratic nomination for president at this point. (Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is technically still in the race).
Of those six, Michigan is the biggest prize, and not just because it has the most delegates on offer — though, with 125 delegates, that’s part of it. The state gave Sanders his signature win over eventual Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in the 2016 primary. And if Biden can beat out Sanders there — which the FiveThirtyEight polling average for Michigan indicates is likely — then the rest of the primary calendar, with states like Florida and Georgia, looks increasingly difficult for the Vermont senator.
The New York Times also points out that the state will offer a preview of how candidates perform with key demographics that will be important come November:
Midwestern powerhouses like Michigan will test the candidates’ appeal among suburbanites, African-Americans and working-class white voters. If the race is not decided on Super Tuesday, this could be a line of demarcation.
Elsewhere, polling averages from FiveThirtyEight indicate Biden is in the lead in Mississippi and Missouri, and (narrowly) in Washington state.
Follow along below for Vox’s coverage of the March 10 primaries, including live results, breaking news updates, analysis, and more.
Joe Biden wins Washington state — showing just how much momentum he’s picked up
Joe Biden speaks in Columbia, South Carolina on February 29, 2020. Scott Olson/Getty ImagesJoe Biden just won Washington state — further solidifying his delegate lead against Bernie Sanders, who won the state handily in 2016. The results were called nearly a week after the state’s primary Election Day.
Given Washington’s more progressive lean, this Biden victory, in particular, highlights just how much momentum he’s picked up since Super Tuesday. Four years ago, Sanders won the Washington caucuses by nearly 45 points, while losing a nonbinding primary that took place later in the year. (In 2016, the state held a caucus in March and a nonbinding primary in May — a practice that’s required by state law — though only the outcome of the former mattered in the delegates race.)
Read Article >The Michigan primary results raised a striking question about sexism
Supporters cheer for Sen. Bernie Sanders during a campaign rally in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on March 8, 2020. Brittany Greeson/Getty ImagesJoe Biden outperformed Hillary Clinton in county after county in the Michigan Democratic primary on Tuesday, raising questions yet again about whether “electability” really is just about sexism.
Overall, Clinton lost by less than 2 percentage points in the state. Biden won by 16.
Read Article >The political map ahead is bad for Bernie Sanders
Sen. Bernie Sanders campaigns in Phoenix, Arizona, on March 5, 2020. Laura Segall/AFP via Getty ImagesSen. Bernie Sanders faces an even bleaker situation today than when he was at an equivalent point running against Hillary Clinton in the 2016 primary.
After taking considerable criticism for leading an excessively white political movement four years ago, Sanders successfully built a more diverse base of support, particularly among Latino voters who helped carry him to victory in Nevada and California. But building that new base also cost him the support of a lot of rural white voters who will come into play in the coming contests.
Read Article >The delegate math for Biden and Sanders after Super Tuesday, explained
Former Vice President Joe Biden speaks to California voters during a Super Tuesday election night party in Los Angeles on March 3, 2020. Melina Mara/The Washington Post via Getty ImagesFormer Vice President Joe Biden was covered as the decisive winner on Super Tuesday, winning 10 out of 14 states — but the number that really matters for the future of the Democratic nomination contest is the delegate count.
And we’re finally starting to get a clearer picture of what that count looks like: Biden has gained a significant, but not an enormous, advantage.
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