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| US election 2020: Rampant Biden crushes Sanders in hat-trick | US election 2020: Rampant Biden crushes Sanders in hat-trick |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has steamrolled rival Bernie Sanders in primary elections in Florida, Illinois and Arizona. | Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has steamrolled rival Bernie Sanders in primary elections in Florida, Illinois and Arizona. |
| Accelerating his momentum in the race, the former US vice-president made a clean sweep in all three states. | Accelerating his momentum in the race, the former US vice-president made a clean sweep in all three states. |
| Mr Biden appealed for support directly to Sanders supporters. | Mr Biden appealed for support directly to Sanders supporters. |
| With his hat-trick, Mr Biden took another big stride towards becoming the Democratic candidate who will face President Donald Trump in November. | With his hat-trick, Mr Biden took another big stride towards becoming the Democratic candidate who will face President Donald Trump in November. |
| What are the results so far? | What are the results so far? |
| Mr Biden won a smashing victory over Mr Sanders in Florida, the biggest prize of the night with 219 delegates. The former vice-president won 62% of the vote and about 130 delegates. Mr Sanders, with only 23%, took some 48 delegates, with the rest still to be distributed. | |
| Mr Trump won that traditional battleground state by 1.2 percentage points in the 2016 presidential election. | Mr Trump won that traditional battleground state by 1.2 percentage points in the 2016 presidential election. |
| In Illinois, with most precincts reporting, Mr Biden led the Vermont senator by 59% to 36%. | |
| With most votes counted in Arizona, Mr Biden has a double-digit lead over Mr Sanders in the south-western state. | |
| A Democratic candidate needs 1,991 delegates to clinch the nomination. | |
| On the eve of Tuesday's vote, Mr Biden was hoping to build on his victories in 16 of the last 21 state contests. | On the eve of Tuesday's vote, Mr Biden was hoping to build on his victories in 16 of the last 21 state contests. |
| The former US vice-president's triumph last month in South Carolina - his first ever primary win over three campaigns for president - resuscitated his faltering campaign. | The former US vice-president's triumph last month in South Carolina - his first ever primary win over three campaigns for president - resuscitated his faltering campaign. |
| What issues mattered to voters on Tuesday? | What issues mattered to voters on Tuesday? |
| According to opinion polling, most voters said electability was a priority for them. | According to opinion polling, most voters said electability was a priority for them. |
| About three in four Florida voters said Mr Biden would have a better chance of beating Mr Trump, a Republican. Just one in five said the same of Mr Sanders. | About three in four Florida voters said Mr Biden would have a better chance of beating Mr Trump, a Republican. Just one in five said the same of Mr Sanders. |
| Older voters were more likely to say they supported Mr Biden. | Older voters were more likely to say they supported Mr Biden. |
| Nearly half of Florida's voters said Mr Sanders' stances were too liberal. | Nearly half of Florida's voters said Mr Sanders' stances were too liberal. |
| How did the two candidates react? | How did the two candidates react? |
| In a webcam speech from his home in Wilmington, Delaware, to comply with US anti-coronavirus advice against public gatherings, Mr Biden appealed to Mr Sanders' passionate supporters. | In a webcam speech from his home in Wilmington, Delaware, to comply with US anti-coronavirus advice against public gatherings, Mr Biden appealed to Mr Sanders' passionate supporters. |
| He said: "Let me say, especially to the young voters who have been inspired by Senator Sanders, I hear you, I know what's at stake, I know what we have to do." | He said: "Let me say, especially to the young voters who have been inspired by Senator Sanders, I hear you, I know what's at stake, I know what we have to do." |
| But he focused largely on the outbreak sweeping the US, striking a unifying tone as he said: "The coronavirus doesn't care if you're a Democrat or a Republican... we're all in this together." | But he focused largely on the outbreak sweeping the US, striking a unifying tone as he said: "The coronavirus doesn't care if you're a Democrat or a Republican... we're all in this together." |
| Mr Sanders hosted an online address from Washington DC, but he did not drop any hints about the future of his campaign. | Mr Sanders hosted an online address from Washington DC, but he did not drop any hints about the future of his campaign. |
| He instead talked about the coronavirus crisis, outlining proposals to address the pandemic, which he said would cost some $2tn. | He instead talked about the coronavirus crisis, outlining proposals to address the pandemic, which he said would cost some $2tn. |
| Game over for Bernie Sanders? | Game over for Bernie Sanders? |
| Democrats in three states have just cemented the presidential nomination for Joe Biden. | Democrats in three states have just cemented the presidential nomination for Joe Biden. |
| Bernie Sanders was soundly defeated in Illinois and Arizona and routed in Florida, where in one county he finished third behind Michael Bloomberg, who dropped out weeks ago. | Bernie Sanders was soundly defeated in Illinois and Arizona and routed in Florida, where in one county he finished third behind Michael Bloomberg, who dropped out weeks ago. |
| He will fall even further behind in the national convention delegate count, as the primary season appears to be heading towards suspended animation, with multiple states delaying their contests until June. | He will fall even further behind in the national convention delegate count, as the primary season appears to be heading towards suspended animation, with multiple states delaying their contests until June. |
| Mr Sanders should have a long think about how long he wants to stay in this fight, even if he does have more than enough financial resources to carry on. | Mr Sanders should have a long think about how long he wants to stay in this fight, even if he does have more than enough financial resources to carry on. |
| He is going to face growing calls from Democrats to gracefully bow out - something he did not do until the eve of the convention four years ago, much to the consternation of many Hillary Clinton supporters. | He is going to face growing calls from Democrats to gracefully bow out - something he did not do until the eve of the convention four years ago, much to the consternation of many Hillary Clinton supporters. |
| The bottom line for Mr Sanders may be evaluating what's best for the movement he created. | The bottom line for Mr Sanders may be evaluating what's best for the movement he created. |
| Will staying in the race give him a continuing platform to talk about his issues and buy him time for a potential comeback? | Will staying in the race give him a continuing platform to talk about his issues and buy him time for a potential comeback? |
| Or will hanging around only increase the chances that he is relegated to an electoral afterthought? | Or will hanging around only increase the chances that he is relegated to an electoral afterthought? |
| What about President Trump? | What about President Trump? |
| Also on Tuesday night, the US president officially clinched the Republican party nomination with a win in the Illinois primary. | Also on Tuesday night, the US president officially clinched the Republican party nomination with a win in the Illinois primary. |
| His victory had been a foregone conclusion in a contest where he has faced only nominal opposition from a former Massachusetts Governor, Bill Weld. | His victory had been a foregone conclusion in a contest where he has faced only nominal opposition from a former Massachusetts Governor, Bill Weld. |
| Illinois' delegates drove Mr Trump over the 1,276-delegate threshold required to become the party's standard-bearer. | Illinois' delegates drove Mr Trump over the 1,276-delegate threshold required to become the party's standard-bearer. |
| Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel congratulated the president on Twitter for "officially becoming the presumptive Republican nominee". | Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel congratulated the president on Twitter for "officially becoming the presumptive Republican nominee". |
| How else is the coronavirus affecting election season? | How else is the coronavirus affecting election season? |
| Ohio was also due to hold a primary on Tuesday, but it cancelled the vote hours before polls were due to open, putting it off till June. | Ohio was also due to hold a primary on Tuesday, but it cancelled the vote hours before polls were due to open, putting it off till June. |
| Voters in the three states that did head to polling stations on Tuesday encountered hand sanitiser dispensers and workers in surgical gloves. | Voters in the three states that did head to polling stations on Tuesday encountered hand sanitiser dispensers and workers in surgical gloves. |
| Several other states have postponed their Democratic presidential primaries, including Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland and Kentucky. | Several other states have postponed their Democratic presidential primaries, including Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland and Kentucky. |
| The Democratic National Committee blasted Ohio for sowing "chaos and confusion" and urged remaining primary states not to follow suit. | The Democratic National Committee blasted Ohio for sowing "chaos and confusion" and urged remaining primary states not to follow suit. |
| But Puerto Rico, which is scheduled to hold the next Democratic primary on 29 March, is also planning to reschedule. | But Puerto Rico, which is scheduled to hold the next Democratic primary on 29 March, is also planning to reschedule. |
| Party grandees are encouraging states and territories instead to extend postal and early voting to reduce public exposure to the virus. | Party grandees are encouraging states and territories instead to extend postal and early voting to reduce public exposure to the virus. |
| Who's getting Secret Service protection? | Who's getting Secret Service protection? |
| On Tuesday, the US Secret Service said it would this week begin providing full protection for Mr Biden. His codename will be Celtic, the same as when he was vice-president. | On Tuesday, the US Secret Service said it would this week begin providing full protection for Mr Biden. His codename will be Celtic, the same as when he was vice-president. |
| Mr Biden requested the security detail after being repeatedly accosted by protesters on the campaign trail. | Mr Biden requested the security detail after being repeatedly accosted by protesters on the campaign trail. |
| Two protesters rushed a stage in Los Angeles earlier this month and came within a stride of the candidate as he gave a victory speech. | Two protesters rushed a stage in Los Angeles earlier this month and came within a stride of the candidate as he gave a victory speech. |
| Mr Sanders has not made a request for Secret Service protection. | Mr Sanders has not made a request for Secret Service protection. |
| Read more on Joe Biden | Read more on Joe Biden |