Sanders wins W Virginia primary, says uphill climb ahead

Image
Press Trust of India Washington
Last Updated : May 12 2016 | 4:22 AM IST
Vermont senator Bernie Sanders today won the West Virginia primary defeating Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton by more than 15 percentage points even as the former US secretary of state looks set to secure the party nomination.
However, Sanders' win is unlikely to prevent Clinton from emerging as the presumptive Democratic nominee, given that she has a massive lead over him in the delegates count.
At a campaign rally in Oregon, Sanders acknowledged that he has an uphillclimb in terms of becoming the party's nominee, but said he would continue his fight till the end of the primary season.
As a consolation, Clinton won the Nebraska primary, but she is not getting any delegate from it. The delegates were allocated in the March 5 primary, which was won by Sanders.
Clinton received 10 delegates as against Sanders' 15.
In the Republican party, the sole candidate Donald Trump won both the primaries in West Virginia and Nebraska taking his total delegate count to 1,107.
Trump now needs 130 delegates to officially become the presumptive nominee of the party.
This seems to be a forgone conclusion given that he is the only candidate left the in fray.
"It is a great honour to have won both West Virginia and Nebraska, especially by such massive margins. My time spent in both states was a wonderful and enlightening experience for me," Trump said in a statement.
"I learned a lot, and that knowledge will be put to good use towards the creation of businesses, jobs, and the strengthening and revival of their economies. I look forward to returning to West Virginia and Nebraska soon, and hope to win both states in the general election," he said.
"Likewise, my time spent last week with the great people of Oregon will hopefully lead to another victory next Tuesday," said Trump who was attacked for the first time by Sanders.
In his victory speech in Oregon, where the primary is scheduled for next Tuesday, Sanders said the country should not elect Trump.
"Our message to the Democratic delegates who will be assembling in Philadelphia is, while we may have many disagreements with Secretary Clinton, there is one area (where) we agree. And that is, we must defeat Donald Trump," Sanders said.
"And after all the votes are cast and counted and this contest moves to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, the delegates will decide which candidate is the strongest nominee to take on Donald Trump in November. All of the evidence indicates that I am that candidate," he said.
A latest opinion poll released today revealed that Sanders defeated Trump in a hypothetical match in the November general elections but Sanders conceded that he has an uphill climb.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: May 12 2016 | 4:22 AM IST

Next Story