Former Vice President Joe Biden won Michigan’s Democratic presidential primary Tuesday night, delivering what will likely be a fatal blow to the 2020 presidential campaign of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT).
The Associated Press called the race in Biden’s favor around 9 p.m. ET, although Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson told reporters Tuesday that the full results might not be available until “well into Wednesday.” As of Tuesday night, 72 percent of precincts were reporting and showed that Biden was leading Sanders 53 percent to 38 percent.
“Thank you, Michigan,” the former vice president wrote on Twitter after spending the day campaigning across the state.
Thank you, Michigan! https://t.co/dpgKmRHoYb
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) March 11, 2020
At the time of publication, Biden was leading the delegate count with 771 pledged delegates, compared to Sanders’ 631. The 77-year-old career politician also picked up victories in Mississippi and Missouri, though Michigan offered the biggest reward of the night with 125 delegates.
Sanders could pick up some wins in Idaho, North Dakota, and Washington state as results continue to roll in, but many view the Michigan defeat as the final nail in Sanders’ coffin.
The Vermont socialist managed to win Michigan’s primary in 2016 over Hillary Clinton, but his campaign has been on ice since his lackluster Super Tuesday performance last week. The Biden campaign, meanwhile, was bolstered by the endorsements of Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and several of the state’s Democratic members of Congress.
According to exit polls, Biden had about two-thirds of the support of black voters in Michigan over Sanders, though Sanders had a similar advantage over Biden among voters under 30. Black voters in Mississippi supported Biden over Sanders by a whopping 70-point margin.
Ninety percent of Michigan’s Democratic voters said it was “very important” to select a nominee who can beat President Donald Trump in the general election.
As of Tuesday night, results showed that more than 500,000 voters came out to vote for President Trump in the Republican primary – a figure that will continue to increase as the rest of the results come in. For comparison, President Barack Obama received 348, 488 votes in the uncontested 2012 Michigan Democratic primary.
Nick Trainer, a campaign staffer for President Trump, said the president has “received more votes than any other incumbent president seeking reelection since before Ronald Reagan.”
In Michigan, with 47% reporting, President Donald J. Trump has received more votes than any other incumbent President seeking re-election since before Ronald Reagan.
— Nick Trainer (@NicholasTrainer) March 11, 2020
“In the end, it doesn’t matter who emerges from the Democrats’ circus of a primary. President Donald Trump’s record of success will carry him to victory here in Michigan, and across our nation this November,” Michigan Republican Party Chairwoman Laura Cox said. “Reelecting President Trump means our state and nation will only grow stronger, safer and more prosperous over the next four years.”
Congratulations to @realDonaldTrump on winning the #MichiganPrimary!
Reelecting President Trump means our state and nation will only grow stronger, safer and more prosperous over the next four years.#KeepAmericaGreat pic.twitter.com/jWmpoO3sPG
— Laura Cox (@LauraCoxMI) March 11, 2020
According to The Daily Caller, Republicans are preparing to launch an aggressive attack on Biden’s mental fitness for office in the event that he wins the nomination. On Tuesday morning, Biden was recorded telling a Detroit auto worker that he was “full of sh–” and behaving like a “horse’s ass.”
National Republican Party Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, a Michigan native, congratulated the president on his victory Tuesday night.
“For years, I watched the Democrat Party fail my state,” she said. “Donald Trump came here with a message that resonated. He has delivered on his promises and will win it again in 2020!”
Congratulations @realDonaldTrump on winning the MICHIGAN primary!
For years, I watched the Democrat Party fail my state.@realDonaldTrump came here with a message that resonated.
He has delivered on his promises and will win it again in 2020!
— Ronna McDaniel (@RonnaMcDaniel) March 11, 2020
In a statement released Tuesday night, Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale said “the Democrat candidate for president will be running on a big government socialist agenda regardless of the name on the ballot.”
#Elections2020: The Trump re-election campaign issues a statement on tonight’s Democratic primary contests:
“The Democrat candidate for president will be running on a big government socialist agenda regardless of the name on the ballot.” pic.twitter.com/4QjaKyCYPB
— Jenn Franco KESQ (@jennfranconews) March 11, 2020
“It is also clear that the Democrat establishment has rallied around the confused Joe Biden in an effort to deny the nomination to Bernie Sanders,” he said. “Either way, President Trump is on an unstoppable drive toward reelection.”
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Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of The Minnesota Sun and The Ohio Star. Follow Anthony on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
