Biden dominates Super Tuesday returns but nomination remains elusive

Former Vice-President Joe Biden revived his campaign to be the Democratic nominee against incumbent Donald Trump in November winning at least eight of 14 primary contests but the count in the remaining six, including the two largest California and Texas, will likely ensure that neither man reaches the July convention with enough pledged delegates to win on the first ballot. 

At just after midnight in New York Biden had a total of 383 delegates and Sanders 300 of the 1991 needed for the nomination.  Only two states, Texas and Maine, had not been called with Sanders narrowly leading in Maine and Biden in Texas..  

In the Democratic Party nomination process candidates are awarded delegates in proportion to the percentage of their vote. The winner in each state matters less than the margin of victory.  For instance in Texas as of this writing  with 64% reporting Biden leads with 30.2% to Sanders 28.8% but because of  the delegate award system Sanders has 39 delegates and Biden 38. 

In order to make up his deficit in delegates Sanders needs to dominate in California.  Though the state has been called for Sanders leading 28.5% over second place Michael Bloomberg with 19.0%, only 10% of the districts have reported results and Sanders has 33 delegates to Bloomberg's 2. 

Despite spending upwards of $400 million of his own money, former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg seems to have made little headway with the Democratic primary electorate, garnering  just 27 delegates for an average cost of $15 million apiece.  Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren came in third in her own state at 20.7% of the vote behind the winner Biden with 33.7% and Biden at 27.0%. 

RealClearPolitics