During a series of appearances around Texas over the weekend, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders declared he would win the Texas Democratic presidential primary. With victories in New Hampshire and Nevada behind him, Sanders is attempting to keep his front-runner momentum going as Super Tuesday approaches.
Gromer Jeffers, political writer for The Dallas Morning News, has been following Sanders’ campaign, most recently from Nevada. He says most observers wouldn’t have predicted a possible Sanders win in Texas just a few months ago. But that’s changed.
“Give Bernie Sanders credit,” Jeffers says. “He has developed this movement; he calls it a ‘revolution.’ But much like Donald Trump did in 2016, he has locked away some solid support – support that his rivals can’t penetrate.”
Jeffers says more moderate candidates are splitting the votes that aren’t going to Sanders.
In Nevada, Jeffers says Sanders won a cross-section of support from voters representing a variety of race- and age-related demographics.
Moderate voters who didn’t support Sanders will have to decide whether to continue to rally around another candidate, or decide to support him.
“I don’t think, going forward, into Super Tuesday and beyond, that you can continue to divide up the pie, and then still be in a position to stop Bernie Sanders,” Jeffers says.
Written by Shelly Brisbin.
