Democratic rivals try to slow Sanders

NORTH CHARLESTON – Democratic presidential hopefuls fanned out across the United States yesterday to try to blunt Bernie Sanders’ momentum after a dominant victory in Nevada solidified his front-runner status ahead of 15 key nominating contests in the next ten days.

Sanders, an independent senator from Vermont and self-avowed democratic socialist, rode a broad-based wave of support across age, race and ideology to capture 47 per cent of the county convention delegates in Nevada, with 50 per cent of precincts reporting as of yesterday morning.

Former Vice President Joe Biden appeared headed to a badly needed second-place finish, but trailed by a wide margin, with 19 per cent. Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, was in third place with 15 per cent.

Sanders’ triumph on Saturday in the first racially diverse state in the campaign suggested he was reaching a broader coalition of Democratic voters with his unapologetic message of social and economic justice, including his signature pledge to provide universal healthcare for all Americans.

“Together we will defeat the most dangerous president in the modern history of this country,” Sanders told a cheering throng of supporters in Houston.

Biden was in South Carolina yesterday, where he hopes his record on civil rights and as Barack Obama’s vice president will appeal to the state’s many black voters. (Reuters)