Joe Biden won the Minnesota Democratic primary on the back of Senator Amy Klobuchar’s endorsement, a major win for the former vice president after polling as low as 8 percent in the state last month.
Multiple outlets called the race for Biden over Senator Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.), who won the state by 24 points in 2016, defeating Hillary Clinton by over 44,000 votes. The state switched from a caucus to a straightforward primary in 2020, and has 75 delegates at stake.
With 100 percent of the vote counted, Biden won the field with 38.6 percent of the overall vote to capture 38 delegates. The former vice president beat Sanders by over 60,000 votes, with 26 delegates going to the Vermont Senator. Senator Elizabeth Warren finished third in the race, but stayed viable with 15.4 percent of the vote, giving her 10 delegates.
Polls in February showed Sanders more than doubling Biden’s support but trailing Klobuchar, who led her home state. But Klobuchar announced Monday that she was suspending her campaign and endorsed Biden ahead of Super Tuesday, which coupled with Biden’s performance in the South Carolina primary, gave the former vice president real momentum.
“We won Minnesota because of Amy Klobuchar,” Biden told supporters during a speech Tuesday night in Los Angeles.
What’s missing from our politics right now? Empathy. Caring. A sacred trust between the citizens and their President.
That’s what @JoeBiden will restore.
Joe Biden knows you, and he’s going to fight for you. pic.twitter.com/eT4TI5Wwhi
— Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) March 3, 2020