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Joe Biden hopes to cement lead in crucial Democratic primaries Biden projected to win Mississippi and Missouri Democratic primaries
(about 2 hours later)
Bernie Sanders, second in the race, campaigns in Michigan hoping to win the delegate-rich state The victories for Biden in the two Southern states were an expected and early victory for the former vice president
Joe Biden is hoping to cement his position as frontrunner for the Democratic nomination for president on Tuesday, as millions of voters in six states have their say in the next round of primary election contests. Almost immediately after polls closed Tuesday night Joe Biden was projected the winner in Mississippi and Missouri, two of six states where Democrats are voting Tuesday night.
For Bernie Sanders – the second of two major remaining candidates in the race – the six primaries in Michigan, Washington, Missouri, Mississippi, Idaho and North Dakota will be a crucial test of whether he can reverse the momentum the former vice-president enjoys coming out of his victories in the Super Tuesday states last week, and prevent him from extending his delegate count lead. The victories for Biden in the two Southern states were an expected and early victory for the former vice president on Tuesday as he looks to deal Vermont senator Bernie Sanders a major blow in the latest primary contests.
Sanders and his surrogates have been doggedly campaigning across Michigan, a state he unexpectedly won when he ran for president in 2016 against Hillary Clinton. The state has the most delegates of any of the voting states on Tuesday, making it a top priority for the Vermont senator to win again. For Bernie Sanders – the second of two major remaining candidates in the race – the Tuesday primaries in Michigan, Washington, Missouri, Mississippi, Idaho and North Dakota are a crucial test of whether he can reverse the momentum the former vice-president enjoys coming out of his victories in the Super Tuesday states last week, and prevent him from extending his delegate count lead.
Sanders and his surrogates have been doggedly campaigning across Michigan, a state he unexpectedly won when he ran for president in 2016 against Hillary Clinton. The state has the most delegates of any of the voting states on Tuesday, making it a top priority for the Vermont senator to win again and the focus of the night’s results.
“You can’t go backwards and winning four years ago and not winning now would be going backwards,” the Democratic strategist Scott Kozar said. “Especially now that it’s a binary choice.”“You can’t go backwards and winning four years ago and not winning now would be going backwards,” the Democratic strategist Scott Kozar said. “Especially now that it’s a binary choice.”
In a possible sign of trouble to come Michigan election officials expected delays in tallying the election results because of a backlog of absentee ballots. In a possible sign of trouble to come Michigan election officials expected delays in tallying the election results because of a backlog of absentee ballots. Full results may not be available until Wednesday. Michigan secretary of state Jocelyn Benson is scheduled to hold a press conference at 9pm. Tuesday night to share more information on the status of processing the election results.
Biden campaigned in the state on election day. At one stop in Detroit he got into a heated exchange with an autoworker who spoke about gun rights and accused the former vice-president of “actively trying to end the second amendment”.Biden campaigned in the state on election day. At one stop in Detroit he got into a heated exchange with an autoworker who spoke about gun rights and accused the former vice-president of “actively trying to end the second amendment”.
“You’re full of shit,” Biden snapped, going on to say “I support the second amendment … I have a shotgun, a 20-gauge, a 12-gauge.”“You’re full of shit,” Biden snapped, going on to say “I support the second amendment … I have a shotgun, a 20-gauge, a 12-gauge.”
Biden supports universal background checks for gun purchases as well as an assault weapons ban.Biden supports universal background checks for gun purchases as well as an assault weapons ban.
The ongoing coronavirus crisis is also a wildcard. However, in Washington state, the center of the outbreak in the US where 22 people have died so far, officials believe new rules that mean the primary uses mail-in and drop-off ballots rather than a caucus system should prevent disruption, and may even break turnout records as a result. Election officials instructed staff to take extra precautionary steps to avoid spreading germs. They urged staffers to wash their hands frequently and to cough into tissues to avoid possibly spreading the virus.The ongoing coronavirus crisis is also a wildcard. However, in Washington state, the center of the outbreak in the US where 22 people have died so far, officials believe new rules that mean the primary uses mail-in and drop-off ballots rather than a caucus system should prevent disruption, and may even break turnout records as a result. Election officials instructed staff to take extra precautionary steps to avoid spreading germs. They urged staffers to wash their hands frequently and to cough into tissues to avoid possibly spreading the virus.
Just a few hours before polls opened on Tuesday afternoon both the Sanders campaign and Biden campaign cancelled planned election night events in Ohio as a precautionary measure in response to the coronavirus.Just a few hours before polls opened on Tuesday afternoon both the Sanders campaign and Biden campaign cancelled planned election night events in Ohio as a precautionary measure in response to the coronavirus.
Sanders held a rally in Ann Arbor with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the young liberal congresswoman, on Sunday. The rally drew an estimated 10,000 people, underscoring Sanders’ support in the more progressive quarters of the state.Sanders held a rally in Ann Arbor with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the young liberal congresswoman, on Sunday. The rally drew an estimated 10,000 people, underscoring Sanders’ support in the more progressive quarters of the state.
Sanders himself conceded the importance of winning Michigan again during his speech.Sanders himself conceded the importance of winning Michigan again during his speech.
“Michigan is the most important state coming up on Tuesday,” Sanders said.“Michigan is the most important state coming up on Tuesday,” Sanders said.
A Epic-MRA poll conducted for the Detroit Free Press between Wednesday and Friday found Biden leading Sanders in Michigan by 24 percentage points. Four years ago the same pollster found Clinton leading Sanders by almost the exact same margin. Sanders ended up winning the state by less than 2 percentage points.A Epic-MRA poll conducted for the Detroit Free Press between Wednesday and Friday found Biden leading Sanders in Michigan by 24 percentage points. Four years ago the same pollster found Clinton leading Sanders by almost the exact same margin. Sanders ended up winning the state by less than 2 percentage points.
However, the Michigan poll also seems to reflect the widening chasm between Biden and Sanders elsewhere. A separate CNN national poll found the former vice-president leading Sanders by 16 points.However, the Michigan poll also seems to reflect the widening chasm between Biden and Sanders elsewhere. A separate CNN national poll found the former vice-president leading Sanders by 16 points.
“Michigan would be a great win for Biden,” said the former Michigan governor James Blanchard, a Biden supporter. “It’s a must win for Bernie.”“Michigan would be a great win for Biden,” said the former Michigan governor James Blanchard, a Biden supporter. “It’s a must win for Bernie.”
Biden’s lead came as a result of his decisive victory in the South Carolina primary. Since then the Biden campaign has rapidly gained support from former Democratic primary rivals and other elected officials. Former presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Cory Booker endorsed Biden on Sunday and Monday respectively, and held an event with him in Detroit.Biden’s lead came as a result of his decisive victory in the South Carolina primary. Since then the Biden campaign has rapidly gained support from former Democratic primary rivals and other elected officials. Former presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Cory Booker endorsed Biden on Sunday and Monday respectively, and held an event with him in Detroit.
An analysis by the polling website FiveThirtyEight forecast Biden leading Sanders in all the voting states on Tuesday except Washington state, which Sanders won by over 40 percentage points in 2016. Forebodingly for the Vermont senator, a last-minute King 5 News poll conducted by Survey USA found Biden and Sanders essentially tied in the state.An analysis by the polling website FiveThirtyEight forecast Biden leading Sanders in all the voting states on Tuesday except Washington state, which Sanders won by over 40 percentage points in 2016. Forebodingly for the Vermont senator, a last-minute King 5 News poll conducted by Survey USA found Biden and Sanders essentially tied in the state.
The Biden campaign also announced an endorsement by the Washington state public lands commissioner, Hilary Franz, a rising Democratic star in the state who briefly looked at running for governor in 2019. The endorsement and poll shows that even in liberal states that Sanders won handily, the tides appeared to be shifting in Biden’s direction.The Biden campaign also announced an endorsement by the Washington state public lands commissioner, Hilary Franz, a rising Democratic star in the state who briefly looked at running for governor in 2019. The endorsement and poll shows that even in liberal states that Sanders won handily, the tides appeared to be shifting in Biden’s direction.
Biden does not have a large campaign operation in any of the states voting on Tuesday, but supporters are still hosting fundraisers for him. In Michigan for example, former governor Blanchard and the Detroit mayor, Mike Duggan, were slated as headliners for two Biden campaign fundraisers on Monday, according to invitations obtained by the Guardian. 
Paul Maslin, a Democratic pollster, said he believed the coronavirus could affect turnout in future contests.
“I think we’re still days away from the stage where large numbers of people will conclude ‘I don’t want to leave the house’ but clearly we’re heading in that direction,” Maslin said. “I think next week might be the bigger test when all of a sudden you’ve got Florida, Illinois, Ohio, Arizona and another week of news.”