Three of the four early states—the states that go one by one and get individual attention from both the candidates and the media—have voted in the Democratic presidential primary, boosting Sen. Bernie Sanders into a clear-cut position as the leader in the race. Now the strategy changes as candidates look past South Carolina, which votes on February 29, to Super Tuesday on March 3, when 14 states vote.
Former Vice President Joe Biden is counting on South Carolina to boost him with black voters in key Super Tuesday states by showing that his candidacy is still viable. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has been using his massive personal fortune to carpet-bomb the airwaves in Super Tuesday states, the first states where he will be on the ballot. Other candidates, meanwhile, are trying to shift quickly from focusing on individual states to a multi-state race.
Sanders is focusing in particular on three big states with a big delegate haul: California, Texas, and North Carolina. Former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, The Washington Post reports, is focusing on a strong enough showing in South Carolina to suggest he can compete with black voters, telling reporters that “Obviously South Carolina is an opportunity to demonstrate that our coalition is broader than people thought.” He’s then looking to some strategic sources of delegates on Super Tuesday, with a recent trip to Salt Lake City and a focus on Little Rock.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren campaigned in Seattle on Saturday, with early voting already happening in Washington state. She’ll be campaigning in San Antonio, Texas, with the city’s former mayor, Julián Castro, who has been one of her top surrogates not just there but in California and elsewhere. Warren’s campaign is also advertising in Seattle and San Antonio, as well as Austin, Oklahoma City, Colorado, and Maine.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, meanwhile, is frantically trying to turn her post-New Hampshire momentum into a national campaign.
Bloomberg will be a major wild card on Super Tuesday, since as yet we have no evidence of how his ad blitz will translate into actual votes.
This primary could hold some surprises, but as of now, Sanders is the strong favorite for the nomination.