Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) added to his winning streak against Hillary Clinton — eight of the last nine contests now — with a win in the Wyoming caucus today.
With 96 percent of returns in, Sanders had 56 percent of the vote to 44 percent for Clinton. The state has 14 apportioned delegates.
Hillary supporters tweeted that it was actually a loss for Bernie as he didn’t win by a large enough margin to avoid splitting the delegates evenly with the former secretary of State.
Hillary’s campaign manager, Robby Mook, congratulated Sanders on a “spirited campaign” while insisting Clinton “outperformed expectations” in Wyoming.
“We are grateful to our supporters who know that Hillary Clinton would be the best candidate to break down the barriers that hold Americans back,” Mook said.
Sanders was campaigning in New York, addressing a crowd at a rally at LaGuardia Community College, when his wife, Jane, came onto the stage to deliver the news.
“All right, news bulletin. We just won Wyoming,” Sanders told the cheering crowd. “We appreciate and thank the people of Wyoming so much for their support.”
The Republican National Committee pounced on “once the inevitable frontrunner” Hillary’s latest loss.
“This embarrassing string of defeats to a 74-year-old socialist from Vermont is another reminder of what a desperately flawed candidate she is, and how beatable she will be in November if she becomes the nominee,” RNC chairman Reince Priebus said in a statement. “Liberals can’t stomach her constant contradictions: raising money from the very groups she pretends to attack while flip flopping on issue after issue to pander to voters.”
The Clinton campaign sent former President Clinton to Wyoming last week for a rally in Cheyenne. Sanders held a rally last Tuesday at the University of Wyoming in Laramie, which was ongoing when he learned that he’d won the Wisconsin primary.
Both campaigns had March events in Wyoming canceled due to bad weather.
Both campaigns had already turned their attention to New York, where 247 delegates are up for grabs on April 19. Clinton and Sanders face off in a CNN debate Thursday.
Bernie held rallies today in Washington Heights, University Heights and the Bronx, topped off with an evening “community conversation” at the Apollo Theater in Harlem. On Sunday he’ll be holding a rally at the Coney Island Boardwalk before heading upstate to Albany for a Monday event.
Hillary was holding an organizing event in Brooklyn today to “discuss her plans to break down all the barriers that hold Latinos back and work to build ladders of opportunity for Latino families,” according to her campaign. On Sunday, President Clinton will campaign for his wife in Queens and Harlem.
“Sen. Sanders won these recent contests by large and impressive margins,” Jeff Weaver, Sanders’ campaign manager, said today before the caucus results. “As a result, we have cut Secretary Clinton’s delegate lead by 101 since April 15, which amounts to one-third of her then-total margin. That dramatic gain leaves us only 214 delegates behind — a margin we can and fully intend to surpass by the conclusion of voting on June 14.”
The campaign released a list of superdelegates — the area in which Hillary holds the nomination-busting advantage — vowing to vote for Bernie. The top superdelegate on Bernie’s list is Sen. Sanders.
The list includes Reps. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii), Alan Grayson (D-Fla.), Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), and Collin Peterson (D-Minn.).
“Ten additional superdelegates have announced their support for in the last three weeks. We believe this number will continue to climb as it becomes clear that Sen. Sanders will be the strongest Democratic nominee to defeat Donald Trump or whoever the Republicans decide to nominate,” Weaver said.
After the list was published, Rep. Rick Nolan (D-Minn.) said he would also give his superdelegate vote to Sanders.
“The Democratic Party is fortunate to have two qualified presidential candidates, both of whom offer substantive solutions to the problems facing Americans,” Nolan said in a statement. “I’ve considered a number of factors in making this decision, including the will of Minnesota caucus attendees, specifically those in the 8th Congressional District. Bernie’s message and his authenticity appeals to voters here, and it appeals to me. I’ll be proud to cast my vote for him in Philadelphia this summer.”
Clinton noted to CNN on Wednesday that she’s “considerably ahead in both the popular vote and, most importantly, the delegate count.”
“I think we will reach whatever number is required. We’re going to continue to acquire delegates and add to our total. I have more delegates than he does, in a broader margin than President Obama had over me at this time in 2008. So I think we’re doing well,” she said.
“I think it’s great to have a contested Democratic primary, because it brings more people into the process. When I dropped out at the end of our primary in 2008, I immediately urged all of my supporters to support then Senator Obama. I not only endorsed him, I nominated him at the convention and worked really hard… So I’m looking to unify the Democratic Party when the process is over.”
Join the conversation as a VIP Member