Biden Wins Michigan Primary, Delivers Major Blow to Sanders
Four years after Bernie Sanders upset Hillary Clinton in Michigan’s Democratic primary, it was the Vermont Senator’s turn to be shocked, as Joe Biden easily defeated him there on Tuesday, the AP reports. Biden’s Michigan victory, plus wins in Missouri, Mississippi and Idaho, dealt a serious blow to Sanders’ flagging candidacy, which only two weeks ago seemed on the cusp of pulling away from the field after early wins in Nevada and New Hampshire. However, Biden proved his strength with working-class and African-American voters, and continued the turnaround that started in South Carolina two weeks ago.
Sanders did win the state of North Dakota, and the two were essentially tied in the state of Washington late Tuesday as results trickled in. Earlier on Tuesday, Biden earned the endorsement of another one of his former rivals when Andrew Yang said on CNN, “I hereby am endorsing Joe Biden to be not just the nominee for the Democratic party but the next president of the United States.” Biden was in Michigan campaigning Tuesday, and had a testy exchange with a worker who accused him of “actively trying to end our Second Amendment right.” Biden responded, “You’re full of s**t,” and went on to say that while he supports the Second Amendment, “Do you need 100 rounds?”
At a rally in Philadelphia later, Biden addressed Sanders supporters, saying, “We need you, we want you, and there’s a place in our campaign for each of you. I want to thank Bernie Sanders and his supporters for their tireless energy and their passion…We share a common goal, and together we’ll beat Donald Trump.”