Not feelin’ the Bern? Biden scores more states in latest primaries – but Sanders is still in the battle

Former Vice President Joe Biden has widened his lead against Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primaries, claiming four of six states in the latest round of contests, including the key state of Michigan.

Biden took Idaho, Missouri, Mississippi and Michigan while Sanders netted North Dakota and Washington, where the vote count is still underway.

The loss of Michigan – which aside from its 125 delegates is viewed as a barometer to test the political leanings of blue-collar workers – was a huge blow to the Vermont senator, who has campaigned on a platform to serve the needs of working-class Americans.

The contests were not without their hiccups, however. Voters in St. Louis County, Missouri reported that an electronic check-in system failed to sync with election officials’ computer system to print their ballots – forcing many to go to work without casting their votes.

Similar technical issues – as well as overwhelmed polling sites – were reported in other states. In Michigan, the final results will be delayed until Wednesday afternoon as the state scrambles to count over one million absentee ballots.

Despite Tuesday’s underwhelming performance, Sanders is still in the race. With more than half of the total delegates still up for grabs in upcoming contests, Biden leads by less than 200.

The two candidates will face each other in a debate on Sunday, which has been hyped by Team Sanders as an opportunity to grill Biden on foreign policy and social issues.
The next round of contests on March 17 will be a major indicator of whether Sanders is able to turn the tide. Illinois, Ohio, Arizona, and the critical state of Florida will be up for grabs.

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