Bernie Sanders scores shock win in Michigan, denting Hillary Clinton’s dominance of Democratic race
Clinton easily carries Mississippi; Trump secures three more victories to edge closer to Republican nomination
Bernie Sanders breathed new life into his long-shot White House bid with a crucial and surprising win in Michigan’s primary on Tuesday night, chipping away at Hillary Clinton’s dominance in the Democratic presidential race. Republican Donald Trump swept to victory in Michigan, Mississippi and Hawaii, overcoming fierce efforts to blunt his momentum.
It also exposed a weakness for Clinton with attracting white, working-class voters who will be a prime constituency in industrial states for the general election in November.
With 90 per cent of precincts reporting, Sanders had 50.4 per cent of the vote to Clinton’s 47.6 per cent.
Clinton had a lead of more than 20 percentage points in Michigan in an average of recent polls compiled by RealClearPolitics. But Sanders hammered his message of a rigged economy benefiting the wealthy at the expense of the middle class.
“This has been a fantastic night in Michigan,” Sanders said shortly before the race was called in his favour in the industrial state.
Sanders said Michigan signalled that his campaign “is strong in every part of the country, and frankly we believe our strongest areas are yet to happen.”