AFP, Seattle :
Bernie Sanders won resounding caucus victories in Alaska and Washington state, hoping to slow the advance of Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton, who has a commanding lead in the presidential nomination race.
US networks projected Sanders winning by wide margins in both western states where 117 delegates were up for grabs — 101 in Washington and 16 in Alaska.
The Vermont senator and the former secretary of state early Sunday were still awaiting the results of caucuses in Hawaii, where 25 delegates are at stake.
Sanders celebrated his Alaska and Washington victories via Twitter late Saturday. “Thank you, Alaska! Together we are sending a message that this government belongs to all of us,” he wrote.
“Washington, thank you for your huge support! It is hard for anybody to deny that our campaign has the momentum.”
The delegate math, however, still dramatically favors Clinton who headed into Saturday’s contests with a big lead among pledged delegates, and an even larger advantage when party officials known as superdelegates are factored into the equation.
Sanders however stubbornly maintains that he has a path to winning the nomination, and is plowing ahead state by state, starting with the next series of election contests next month.
Appearing at a campaign rally in the midwestern state of Wisconsin, which holds its primary on April 5, the Vermont senator said he feels the tide now turning in his favor. “We knew things were going to improve as we headed west,” he said to cheers.
“We are making significant inroads in Secretary Clinton’s lead and we have… a path toward victory.”
US networks projected Sanders winning 79.2 percent against 20.8 percent for Clinton in Alaska.
In Washington, he was projected to win 72.1 percent against 27.7 for Clinton.
“This is what momentum is about,” Sanders told supporters in Wisconsin. “Don’t let anybody tell you we can’t win the nomination or win the general election. We’re going to do both of those things.”
A win for the 74-year-old Sanders in the trio of western states would inject momentum to his campaign as he seeks to dent Clinton’s lead in the race to their party’s nomination.
Bernie Sanders won resounding caucus victories in Alaska and Washington state, hoping to slow the advance of Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton, who has a commanding lead in the presidential nomination race.
US networks projected Sanders winning by wide margins in both western states where 117 delegates were up for grabs — 101 in Washington and 16 in Alaska.
The Vermont senator and the former secretary of state early Sunday were still awaiting the results of caucuses in Hawaii, where 25 delegates are at stake.
Sanders celebrated his Alaska and Washington victories via Twitter late Saturday. “Thank you, Alaska! Together we are sending a message that this government belongs to all of us,” he wrote.
“Washington, thank you for your huge support! It is hard for anybody to deny that our campaign has the momentum.”
The delegate math, however, still dramatically favors Clinton who headed into Saturday’s contests with a big lead among pledged delegates, and an even larger advantage when party officials known as superdelegates are factored into the equation.
Sanders however stubbornly maintains that he has a path to winning the nomination, and is plowing ahead state by state, starting with the next series of election contests next month.
Appearing at a campaign rally in the midwestern state of Wisconsin, which holds its primary on April 5, the Vermont senator said he feels the tide now turning in his favor. “We knew things were going to improve as we headed west,” he said to cheers.
“We are making significant inroads in Secretary Clinton’s lead and we have… a path toward victory.”
US networks projected Sanders winning 79.2 percent against 20.8 percent for Clinton in Alaska.
In Washington, he was projected to win 72.1 percent against 27.7 for Clinton.
“This is what momentum is about,” Sanders told supporters in Wisconsin. “Don’t let anybody tell you we can’t win the nomination or win the general election. We’re going to do both of those things.”
A win for the 74-year-old Sanders in the trio of western states would inject momentum to his campaign as he seeks to dent Clinton’s lead in the race to their party’s nomination.
