Sanders wins big in Nevada’s contest

Rivals running out of time to catch up

LAS VEGAS: Sen Bernie Sanders claimed a major victory in the Nevada caucuses on Saturday that demonstrated his broad appeal in the first racially diverse state in the presidential primary race and established him as the clear front-runner for the Democratic nomination.

In a significant show of force, Mr Sanders, a liberal from Vermont, had a large lead over his nearest rivals with 50% of the precincts reporting, and The Associated Press named him the winner.

His triumph in Nevada, after strong performances in Iowa and New Hampshire, will propel him into next Saturday’s primary in South Carolina, and the Super Tuesday contests immediately thereafter, with a burst of momentum that may make it difficult for the still-fractured moderate wing of the party to slow his march.

Mr Sanders, speaking to jubilant supporters in San Antonio, trumpeted what early results suggested would be a landslide victory. “We have just put together a multi-generational, multiracial coalition, which is not only going to win in Nevada it’s going to sweep the country,” he said, predicting another victory in Texas next month. While Mr Sanders boasted that “no campaign has a grassroots movement like we do”, and was bathed in “Bernie, Bernie!” chants, he otherwise ignored his Democratic opponents.

Mr Sanders’ success, and the continued uncertainty over who is his strongest would-be rival, makes it less clear than ever how centrist forces in the party can organise themselves for a potentially months-long nomination fight. The moderate wing is still grappling with an unusually crowded field for this late in the race, the lack of an obvious single alternative to Mr Sanders and no sign that any of those vying for that role will soon drop out to hasten a coalescence.

Results were still being counted on Saturday night, but at the 50% mark former vice president Joe Biden was on 19.2%, former Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Indiana had 15.4 per cent, Sen Elizabeth Warren of

Massachusetts had 10.3% and Sen Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota won 4.5%.

With the full order of finish still in doubt, Mr Buttigieg used his caucusnight speech to deliver a stern warning about the implications of nominating Mr Sanders, urging Democrats not to “rush” into anointing him as their candidate. In his most pointed critique to date, Mr Buttigieg said Mr Sanders’ agenda lacked broad support and asserted that the senator did not give “a damn” about the swing-state Democrats in Congress who are scared of running with him on the same ticket. “Sen Sanders believes in an inflexible, ideological revolution that leaves out most Democrats, not to mention most Americans,” Mr Buttigieg said, adding Mr Sanders wanted to “reorder the economy in ways most Democrats, not to mention most Americans, don’t support.”

Mr Biden appeared at a Las Vegas union hall while most votes were still uncounted to claim a comeback and vowed victory in South Carolina. “Y’all did it for me,” he told supporters, trying out a new line aimed at his rivals. “I ain’t a socialist, I ain’t a

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Sen Sanders believes in an ideological revolution that leaves out most Americans. PETE BUTTIGIEG

PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY CANDIDATE

plutocrat, I’m a Democrat.”

Mr Biden’s campaign asserted he would finish in second place here, a claim challenged by Mr Buttigieg’s aides. The apparent scale of Mr Sanders’ victory margin presented a challenge to the rest of the candidates, many of whom have been counting on a drawn-out nomination fight to give them time to catch up. But time is plainly running short, and few of Mr Sanders’ rivals have a clear path to closing his advantage.