Bernie Sander is looking for big wins Saturday in Alaska, Hawaii and Washington’s caucuses, trying to cut into front-runner Hillary Clinton’s sizable lead and kick-off a Western swing that he can ride to the July nominating convention.
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Even though front-runner Hillary Clinton’s chances at winning the party’s nomination are getting bigger and bigger, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders seems to be this weekend’s favorite, states CNN Politics.
The Vermont senator and democratic socialist is expected to do well in Washington, considering residents of Seattle, the biggest city in the Pacific Northwest and among the most the liberal in the country, are huge Sanders campaign contributor. Because Democrats allocate their delegates on a proportional basis, meaning that the popular vote loser can still pick up a share, those victories netted Sanders a gain of about 20 delegates.
Based on the AP count, Sanders still needs to win 58 percent of the remaining delegates from primaries and caucuses to have a majority of those delegates by June’s end. In the past few months his strategy, or at least the strategy of a level-headed Sanders supporter, would have been to win the states that he can win and not lose too badly in the states where he can’t. When party officials, known as superdelegates, are added in, Clinton’s advantage grows to 1,691-949. Sanders needs more than twice that many, with 142 up for grabs Saturday toward the goal of 2,383.
State Democratic party spokesman Jake Hamburg called the caucus an example of “grassroots democracy” where neighbors come together to talk about the candidates.
Sanders spent several days campaigning in Washington state and dispatched his wife, Jane, to Alaska and Hawaii.
McDermott said she appreciates Sanders wanting to hear from tribes before he makes a decision.
“I think, I think there may be some symbolism here”, said Mr Sanders as the crowd rose to give a standing ovation.
Those standing in line were told to go the caucus site at Anchorage West High School, where parking attendants were directing drivers to lots that were already filled to capacity. The other four are party leaders free to support whomever they choose. He said he and Clinton agree that a Republican must not be allowed to win the presidency, but he said he believes he’s the Democrat who can prevail. Right now, Clinton’s collection of pledged delegates tops Sanders’ by more than 300 as the fight for the nomination heads into the home stretch.
In 2008, then-Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., crushed rival Hillary Clinton with nearly 76 percent of the vote.
However, it is doable nevertheless and that is why Sanders has pledged to move forward. Marco Rubio, the only other Republican candidate to win delegates, suspended his campaign.
According to an Associated Press analysis, Sanders would need to get more than 67 percent of the total remaining delegates won in the primaries and uncommitted superdelegates to take the nomination.
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The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll shows Ms Clinton and Mr Sanders are virtually tied nationally.
