Sanders Wins Wyoming Democratic Caucuses, Cruz Taking Colorado Delegates
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – US Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders won the Wyoming Democratic caucuses to extend his winning streak, while Ted Cruz claimed all 34 delegates awarded at the Colorado GOP convention.
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders won the Wyoming Democratic caucuses Saturday, the last contest before the April 19 New York primary.
On the Republican side, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz claimed all 34 delegates awarded at the Colorado GOP convention, according to the AP.
Sanders now has won seven of the last eight contests. But former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton still moved closer to clinching the Democratic presidential nomination.
In Wyoming, thanks in part to the support of party leaders and elected officials who will attend the Democratic National Convention as so-called super-delegates, Clinton still came out ahead despite losing the caucuses. The AP delegate count gave Clinton 11 of Wyoming's 18 delegates, though those numbers could change after the state's May 28 state convention.
"This momentum is just what we need in order to win New York's crucial primary in 10 days," Sanders said in an email fundraising solicitation after the caucuses. "But we also must know that the billionaire class is more scared than ever, and they don't want to see us win again. They want to stop us here and now."
Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook congratulated Sanders on a "spirited campaign" though said his candidate "has a nearly insurmountable lead in pledged delegates that will become harder and harder to overcome after each contest."
Clinton now has 1,755 delegates and Sanders 1,068. A total of 2,383 delegates is needed to win the party's presidential nomination at the Philadelphia convention in July.
Cruz's strength in Colorado, following his victories in Wisconsin and Utah, made it that much harder for businessman Donald Trump, the GOP front-runner, to reach the 1,237 delegates needed for a first-ballot victory at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
"Republicans are uniting behind our campaign because they want a leader with real solutions who will bring back jobs, freedom, and security," Cruz said Saturday.
The AP delegate count now puts Trump at 743, Cruz at 545, and Ohio Gov. John Kasich at 143.
