Biden Wins Mississippi and Missouri in Early Blow to Sanders
Joe Biden delivered decisive wins in Missouri and Mississippi on Tuesday, dealing an early blow to Bernie Sanders on a night when six states were up for grabs.
Both men were focused intensely on Michigan, the night’s biggest prize. That's where the Vermont senator scored an upset that lent much-needed credibility to his 2016 primary challenge of Hillary Clinton - and where President Donald Trump's victory four years was so narrow that Democrats are desperate to show they have the strength to flip it back. The former vice president made a final push there in recent days, rallying autoworkers and touting a fresh round of high-profile endorsements.
Even though Tuesday's presidential primaries are not as big as Super Tuesday was, but it's still significant as Democratic voters in six states weigh-in, including Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Idaho, and Washington state.
On Tuesday evening, Biden and Sanders canceled campaign events scheduled in Cleveland, Ohio, amid coronavirus concerns. Their decision to cancel events in Ohio, which votes next week and awards 136 delegates, suggests the coronavirus could upend the Democratic primary at a pivotal time in the race for both candidates. Sanders is trying to regain some momentum in the latest round of voting Tuesday night, while the former vice president is looking to further pad his delegate lead.
Both candidates scored major endorsements in recent days, including Civil Rights leader Jesse Jackson for Sanders and Senators Kamala Harris (D-CA) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) for Biden.
Sanders needs a big win in Michigan. Both candidates are hoping to win the big prize in The Wolverine State, but four polls show Biden has a double-digit lead.
"Michigan, I'm counting on you in a big way!" Biden said at a recent campaign rally.
The two candidates are battling over Sanders' "Medicare for All" proposal as the coronavirus dominates the headlines.
"Think about the insanity of a system where, today, somebody wakes up and maybe they think they have the symptoms of coronavirus, yet they cannot afford to go to a doctor," Sanders said.
"His "Medicare for All" push which would be a long and expensive slog, if it could get done at all," Biden remarked.
Sanders disputes the idea he could drop out of he doesn't win Michigan. But he also faces other tough battles with Biden in upcoming key primaries, including Florida, Ohio, and Illinois on March 17.
http://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/politics/2020/march/biden-and-sanders-battle-for-delegates-today-in-six-primary-contests