Chaos and confusion reigned Wednesday over the state of Bernie Sanders’s presidential campaign.
After a morning statement from campaign manager Faiz Shakir that Sanders was reassessing his campaign after his latest series of losses on Tuesday, Axios reported that Sanders was suspending his campaign.
That brought a swift denial from the Sanders camp.
On Wednesday morning, Shakir did confirm said the independent Vermont senator was examining his recent efforts.
Former Vice President Joe Biden continued his dominance over Sanders on Tuesday, sweeping the Florida, Illinois and Arizona primaries. Those victories came a week after Biden defeated Sanders in the Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi and Idaho primaries.
Biden’s campaign, once given up for dead, stunned the nation with a victory in the South Carolina primary. That propelled Biden to a dominant showing on Super Tuesday, and he hasn’t looked back since.
On Wednesday, Shakir said Sanders “is going to be having conversations with supporters to assess his campaign." But he suggested Sanders is in no hurry to make any decisions about leaving the race noting, “the next primary contest is at least three weeks away.”
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Shakir said “in the immediate term” Sanders “is focused on the government response to the coronavirus outbreak and ensuring that we take care of working people and the most vulnerable.”
Still, Biden's quest for his party's nomination now seems well within reach. His trio of wins doubled his delegate haul over Sanders, giving the former vice president a nearly insurmountable lead. Top Democratic leaders and donors have also increasingly lined up behind Biden as the best option to square off against President Donald Trump in November.
Using a livestream to address supporters from his home state of Delaware, Biden seemed ready to move past the primary. He paid tribute to the Vermont senator for advancing key issues like affordable health care and combating climate change.
“Sen. Sanders and his supporters have brought a remarkable passion and tenacity to all of these issues. Together they have shifted the fundamental conversation in this country," Biden said. “So let me say, especially to the young voters who have been inspired by Sen. Sanders, I hear you. I know what’s at stake. I know what we have to do.”
With the exception of North Dakota and the Northern Mariana Islands, Sanders hasn't scored a victory since Super Tuesday on March 3.
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