By Dayo Benson Editor Politics,Law/Human Rights
Democratic Presidential primaries front runner, former Vice President Joe Biden, Tuesday night consolidated his delegates lead in the Big Tuesday primaries which featured six states, with Michigan’s 125 delegates as the biggest prize.
The former Vice President swept Michigan, Mississippi and Missouri states in early results to widen the gap between him and closest rival Senator Bernie Sanders. Biden was ahead with 96 delegates after the March 3 Super Tuesday primaries which gave him 10 out of the 14 States.
Mississippi has 68 delegates, Missouri 36, Idaho, North Dakota and Washington State were the other states involved in the primaries.
A total of 365 delegates were at stake Tuesday night.
Interestingly, Sanders won Michigan in 2016, when he ran against former Secretary Hilary Clinton.
However, Democrats lost Michigan to the Republicans in the 2016 presidential election. The state was one of the three swing states which gave President Donald Trump victory at the polls.
Speaking to supporters in Philadelphia, Biden said “For those who have been counted out, those who have been knocked out, this is your campaign, join us, we need you.”
He thanked Sanders and his supporters for their tireless energy, even as he urged them to join him in the quest to unite the Democrats and defeat Trump.
He acknowledged other candidates who have endorsed him, saying that “we are few steps away from White House.”
He promised that the United States would rejoin the Paris Climate agreement , to show the world that America could be taken for its words.
Biden had shot into early lead at the Super Tuesday Democratic Presidential primaries held in 14 states and a United States territory. Former Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Senator Amy Klobuchar’s endorsements of Biden added momentum to his campaign.
The former Vice President won Virginia which has 91 delegates, North Carolina which has 110 delegates, the third largest in the country and Texas which has 228 delegates. Alabama with 52 delegates also went to Biden as well as Oklahoma. Biden also won Tennessee, Minnesota, Arkansas, and Massachusetts. Senator Bernie Sanders won Vermont, Colorado, Utah and California.
A total of 1,344 delegates are at stake in the contest. A total of 1,991 delegates are required before a candidate can emerge as the Nominee at the Democratic National Convention. California has the largest delegates 415, followed by Texas with 228 delegates.
Sanders did not make any statement on the disappointing results and the way forward for his campaign.