Sanders wins Nevada, consolidates position at top of Democratic White House race

Next up is South Carolina, a state that is predominantly African American, and which has been nursed by Biden as his firewall.

Senator Bernie Sanders posted an emphatic win in Nevada state Saturday consolidating his status as the front runner in Democratic nominating contests, with former Vice-President Joe Biden finishing a distant second.

Billionaire Michael Bloomberg, who has been surging in polls based on an estimated $400 million he has spent on ads, is waiting to make an impact. He has skipped all other nominating contests until then, as part of an unorthodox poll strategy, and focussed on the Super Tuesday states. (REUTERS)

The win in Nevada was crucial as it is racially and ethnically more diverse than the predominantly white Iowa and New Hampshire, the first two states in the nominating context that he tied and narrowly won. It demonstrated Sander’s expanding base and appeal, which will severely tested in coming races.

“We are bringing our people together,” Sanders said in a victory speech. “In Nevada we have just brought together a multigenerational, multiracial coalition which is not only going to win in Nevada, it’s going to sweep this country.”

Next up is South Carolina, a state that is predominantly African American, and which has been nursed by Biden as his firewall. The former vice-president has polled very well among the community in the state and outside and is expecting to win here to turn around his fortunes. Loyally serving President Barack Obama as his vice-president for two terms has a lot to do with it, and Biden has built on it by embracing his former boss’s legacy; minus the warts, critics have pointed out.

But the big prize for the candidates is the Super Tuesday primaries of March, when 14 states hold their primaries and caucuses, with the largest trove of delegates up for grabs. The race for delegates, every state sends a certain number of delegates who will elect the nominee at the party’s presidential convention in the summer, more than the popular votes, which none of the candidates appear in a position to win, according to experts and pundits.

And billionaire Michael Bloomberg, who has been surging in polls based on an estimated $400 million he has spent on ads, is waiting to make an impact. He has skipped all other nominating contests until then, as part of an unorthodox poll strategy, and focussed on the Super Tuesday states.