SAMUEL LEWANDOWSKI
Special to The Leader
Democratic Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders just won the Nevada caucuses making him the front-runner in terms of delegates.
Sanders has now won the last two contests of the 2020 election and while he tied at 26.2 percent with Mayor Pete Buttigieg in Iowa, Politico reports that Sanders received slightly more votes.
According to the New York Times, the self-titled “Democratic-Socialist” now holds 31 of the 74 allocated delegates.
The source also reports that the majority of Nevada’s delegates will be awarded after February, meaning his count will likely increase.
South Carolina will be the next state to vote, and recent polls show former Vice President Joe Biden’s lead is shrinking while Senator Sanders is gaining.
As recently as last month, a Fox News poll had given Biden a 21 point lead over Sanders.
A CBS poll conducted last week shows that lead has since dropped to five points.
Previous polling conducted by Fox News also found that he led the entire democratic field among black voters by 24 percentage points.
Recent polling conducted by NBC/WSJ now finds Biden leading Sanders by 4 points, 69 percent to 65 percent among black voters.
In third place is Senator Elizabeth Warren, who sits nearly 20 points behind the two.
According to the Hill, “Black voters are considered a key voting bloc with the Democratic Party, particularly in states like South Carolina where they make up a significant proportion of the electorate.”
In his Feb. 21 show, MSNBC’s Chuck Todd said that Bernie Sanders could win the South Carolina primary where 54 pledged delegates are to be allocated based on results.
South Carolina will vote on Feb. 29, then March 3 is Super Tuesday.
According to the Washington Post, “Super Tuesday” is the day “the most states hold nominating contests, the most voters have a chance to go to the polls, and the most delegates will be allotted to candidates.”
Fourteen states and one U.S. territory will be voting on this day, and over a third (1,357 of the 3,979 or 38 percent of all available delegates) will be allocated to the candidates (hence the name “Super Tuesday”).
As such, the Post refers to Super Tuesday as a “pivotal moment for those hoping to gain the nomination in their bid for the White House.”
Among the states voting on March 3 is California, which consists of 415 available delegates (30 percent of all Super Tuesday delegates).
According to the New York Times, California is the largest delegate prize in the country, and 538 is giving Senator Sanders a four in five (79 percent) chance of winning the primary.
The Super Tuesday state with the next greatest delegate load is Texas where 228 delegates will be awarded.
538 is giving Sanders a three in five (61 percent) chance of winning that primary.
On top of California and Texas, 538 is also predicting Sanders will win 11 of the remaining 13 contests.
This includes Massachusetts; Elizabeth Warren’s home state.
According to the New Yorker, professional campaign observers believe Sanders could gain an “irreversible lead in the number of pledged delegates” by the end of Super Tuesday.
538’s latest odds give Sanders a one in two (46 percent) chance of becoming the Democratic nominee and that he will continue to win states that have large delegate counts.
According to the New York Times, Sanders has received “donations from an estimated $1.4 million people through the end of 2019 — far more than any other candidate in the Democratic primary race.”
CNN reports that Sanders raised $25 million in January, his “highest monthly total since entering the race.”
In the state of New York Sanders is leading in the polls with 538 giving the senator a one in two (52 percent) chance of winning the primary.
On the Fredonia campus, excitement can also be felt for the Sanders campaign.
“I support Bernie Sanders as the democratic nominee for several reasons,” said senior psychology major Katyanna Clement, “I like his policies, especially concerning healthcare, education and taxation.”
Clement said they admire how Sanders addresses social inequality and believes his campaign is not about himself, but about a movement for and by the people.
“I like that he’s consistent in his beliefs and that he actively fights for justice,” said Clement.
Former Fredonia students such as social work graduate Anneliese Bienko are also passionate about the Sanders campaign.
“I want Medicare for All, a green new deal and immigration reform and Sanders has been able to gather a strong grassroots coalition,” said Kienko. “That’s not only what we need to beat trump but what we need to pass these policies.”
Like Clement, Kienko admires Sanders for his consistency, dedication to his cause, and belief that his campaign is about the people.
“Sanders’ campaign is about giving the power back to people instead of billionaires, lobbyist and corporations,” said Kienko. “I trust him to listen to the people and stand up for us.”