In a sudden burst of changed momentum, former U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden converted his strong victory in the South Carolina primary into a launching pad for successes in States that voted on “Super Tuesday” . Helped by a string of endorsements from withdrawn centrist candidates such as Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar and Beto O’Rourke , besides Democrat elders such as former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Mr. Biden managed to consolidate the hitherto divided support for the moderates and notched a series of impressive victories in the southern States and surprisingly even in liberal Massachusetts, Maine and Minnesota.
In more good tidings for Mr. Biden’s candidacy, billionaire candidate Michael Bloomberg withdrew from the race and endorsed him.
With the Democratic party establishment firmly putting in its weight behind Mr. Biden and the Vice-President managing to draw support from the same coalition that catapulted Hillary Clinton as the Democratic nominee in 2016 — African Americans, elderly citizens (above the age of 60), college educated white voters, a clear pathway seems to have emerged for the veteran politician who had failed in his previous two attempts for the nomination in 1988 and 2008. Meanwhile, with wins only in four States — importantly in the delegate-rich California — Senator Bernie Sanders could not carry forward the momentum he had gained after the victory in the Nevada caucus and is now relegated to an underdog rather than an insurgent frontrunner.
But are the unabashedly democratic socialist Mr. Sanders’ chances doomed? This doesn’t seem to be the case. A consolidation of the moderate vote has created an arithmetic challenge to his candidacy, which has so far garnered roughly 30% of the total votes and 40% of the total number of delegates in the primaries across the States.
Had Elizabeth Warren remained in the fray, Mr. Sanders’ support from the progressive and activist Democrats would have further been undercut, as it happened in Massachusetts and Minnesota. With Ms. Warren deciding to hang her boots, the Sanders campaign might get a boost.
The winnowing of the Democratic field to two candidates sharpens the contrast for Mr. Sanders against Mr. Biden and should bring Mr. Biden’s candidacy into the limelight, that was hitherto shared between the moderates.
Exit polls have shown that core features of Mr. Sanders’ agenda — Medicare for All, raised minimum wages, free public college tuition still gets more than majority support among Democrats, which suggests that a section of the electorate who favour this economic agenda have voted for Mr. Biden.
Battle against Trump
This is likely due to concerns about Mr. Sanders’ ability to win over the support of moderates and independents beyond Democrats in the electoral battle against President Donald Trump and here’s where the weight of the party establishment and the multiple endorsements helped Mr. Biden’s case. Polls show that undecided voters shifted onto the Biden bandwagon in large numbers not just on Super Tuesday but even in South Carolina.
Meanwhile, Mr, Sanders’ trump card — his steady base and support among the youth has not really given him the advantage he has sought despite their ability to raise funds and volunteers quickly, as actual turnout numbers from this section have remained relatively tepid.
If in the coming weeks, Mr. Sanders brings forth his contrast with Mr. Biden, who despite his experience has shown an increasing penchant for gaffes and rambling speeches on the campaign trail and during debates, he does stand a chance in reversing the momentum yet again. Voters in States like Arizona, Florida, Illinois (who get to vote on March 17) and New York and Pennsylvania (April 28) will get to answer the question on who poses the strongest challenge to the prospects of a return of the Trump presidency.
The battle for the Democratic presidential ticket between the two septuagenarians is far from over.
