A polling place worker adjusts gloves as she tends to a reception table during the Florida primary election at the First United Methodist Church, Tuesday, March 17, 2020, in Jupiter, Fla. As Florida officials try to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, the state's voters headed to the polls to cast ballots in the Democratic presidential primary.
5 takeaways, as Biden sweeps 3 more states amid coronavirus fears
By Domenico Montanaro/NPR
Julio Cortez / AP Photo
A polling place worker adjusts gloves as she tends to a reception table during the Florida primary election at the First United Methodist Church, Tuesday, March 17, 2020, in Jupiter, Fla. As Florida officials try to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, the state's voters headed to the polls to cast ballots in the Democratic presidential primary.
(Washington) — In what have turned out to be the last presidential primary elections in the month of March because of the novel coronavirus, Joe Biden swept all three states Tuesday by big margins and appears well on his way to being the Democratic nominee.
The former vice president won Florida by almost 40 points, Illinois by more than 20 and Arizona by double-digits, too.
It was a remarkable night that adds to Biden’s delegate lead that, at this point and because of how Democrats allocate their delegates, looks insurmountable.
Here are five takeaways from a big election night and what it means going forward:
1. Biden is on track to be the Democratic nominee
Matt Rourke / AP Photo
From left, Democratic presidential candidates, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., former Vice President Joe Biden, talks before a Democratic presidential primary debate, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2020, in Charleston, S.C.
Biden expanded his delegate lead and is now ahead of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders 1,147 to 861. That 286-delegate lead is very difficult to overcome because there are no winner-take-all primaries, delegates are apportioned according to the vote.
To put that lead into perspective, Biden needs 47% of all remaining delegates to become the nominee; Sanders needs 63%. What’s more, many of the states ahead favor Biden, so it’s hard to see how Sanders not only wins in many of those places, but wins in all of them overwhelmingly.
2. Biden needs Sanders supporters
During his speech Tuesday night, Biden reached out to Sanders supporters, many of whom have been highly skeptical of the former vice president.
“Sen. Sanders and I may disagree on tactics, but we share a common vision,” Biden said, rattling off affordable health care, income inequality and climate change as shared issues they want to solve.
