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Super Tuesday LIVE updates: Joe Biden sweeps the South, Sanders fights back in California

Chris Zappone, Matthew Knott and Zach Hope

Updated March 4, 2020 — 6:10pm,first published March 4, 2020 — 8:46am

6.10pm on Mar 4, 2020

That's a wrap, for now...

Super Tuesday is drawing to a close and what a day (night) it has been.

Thanks for following the blog and be sure to keep checking in on theage.com.au and smh.com.au for news and analysis.

So, what happened? In short, the Democratic presidential nomination is now a two-man race between Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders. Biden has enjoyed a stunning comeback after looking finished only a matter of days ago, while the high-profile campaigns of Elizabeth Warren and Mike Bloomberg appear all but over.

Biden looks to have picked up the most delegates in at least nine of the 15 states or territories that went to the polls on Super Tuesday - including in the electorally-powerful state of Texas.

But Sanders was on track to pick up a big win in California, the state with the largest number of delegates.

Sanders told supporters in his home state of Vermont he had "absolutely confidence" he would win the party's nomination.

Warren, who early polling showed was one of the leading Democratic contenders, has failed to inspire her party's voters and even finished a dismal third in her home state of Massachusetts. That's not a good sign.

Meanwhile, Bloomberg has only one victory – American Samoa – for the incredible US$600 million ($750 million) he has spent on political advertising.

With votes still being counted across the country, The Associated Press has allocated 401 delegates to Biden, 323 to Sanders, 33 to Bloomberg, 28 to Warren and one for Tulsi Gabbard. The numbers are expected to shift throughout the night.

The nominee must ultimately claim 1,991 delegates.

Biden is winning in Texas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Virginia, Alabama, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Maine and Oklahoma.

Sanders is winning in California, Colorado, Utah and Vermont.

5.08pm on Mar 4, 2020

'If his comeback tale was a movie, you could call it Revenge of the Baby Boomers'

"The Democratic Party now faces an almighty generational schism, with older and younger voters starkly divided on both policy and strategy.

"More so than race, class or gender, the defining factor in the Sanders-Biden battle is age - a remarkable fact given the men are 78 and 77 respectively."

Great analysis from our US correspondent Matt Knott about the generational rift within the Democratic Party. Read it here fresh off the interwebs.

Joe Biden: "They don't call it Super Tuesday for nothing."AP

4.59pm on Mar 4, 2020

Protesters rush stage at Biden event. Does he have the Secret Service?

Some protesters rushed the stage at a Joe Biden event on super Tuesday.

As a former vice-president, people have wondered if he has Secret Service agents.

The answer is no.

View post on X

According to USA Today, Biden was entitled to protection for up to six months after the date he left office. Though the Department of Homeland Security can extend that window, it did not do so in Biden's case.

4.51pm on Mar 4, 2020

Biden takes lead in Texas

Joe Biden could snatch the majority of delegates out of the crucial state of Texas.

Bernie Sanders led the popular vote since polls closed, but the former vice-president has been closing the gap and took the lead a short time ago. The Lone Star State has 228 delegates up for grabs.

It's still too close to call. The New York Times has been moving between 'Maybe Biden', 'Tilting Biden' and, presently, 'Leaning Biden'.

Sanders still has a strong lead in the other mega-state of California.

So, how is it all shaping up? Politico figures Biden has 322 delegates compared to Sanders' 235, with 738 still to be awarded.

There's a long way to go, but it's been a great day for Biden no matter how you look at it.

4.23pm on Mar 4, 2020

VIDEO: Sanders expresses confidence despite Biden surge

Bernie Sanders addresses a rapturous crowd in his home state of Vermont.

"Tonight I tell you, with absolute confidence, we are going to win the Democratic nomination and we are going to defeat the most dangerous president in the history of this country."

4.07pm on Mar 4, 2020

Bloomberg's campaign all but over as Biden surges on Super Tuesday

By Matthew Knott

Washington: Former vice president Joe Biden has scored impressive victories in a string of important "Super Tuesday" states, continuing a stunning turnaround from his disastrous start to the Democratic presidential campaign.

Just a few days ago Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders was the clear frontrunner to take the Democratic nomination, but Biden's blowout victory in South Carolina last week injected his campaign with a sudden dose of momentum.

The results suggest former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, who spent hundreds of millions of dollars on political advertising in the Super Tuesday states, got a poor return on his unprecedented investment.

Bloomberg failed to win any of the states on offer, though he did pick up a majority of delegate in the tiny territory of American Samoa

Read the full story here.

3.58pm on Mar 4, 2020

Sanders strong in California, Biden draws closer in Texas

This is where we're at in California, the state with the most delegates, with about 10 per cent of votes counted.

Bernie Sanders, as expected, is winning the popular vote.

Coming in to super Tuesday, Biden's team would have been happy to come close to Bernie in California and beat him in the Southern states. This is how it seems to be panning out in what has been a great day for the former vice-president.

Sanders still has a lead in Texas, but Biden has nearly drawn level. The New York Times are now calling the state 'Maybe Biden'.

3.39pm on Mar 4, 2020

Joe takes Massachusetts. Warren looks a spent force.

Elizabeth Warren is a lame duck after losing in her home state in Massachusetts.

Here's the breakdown.

3.23pm on Mar 4, 2020

Sanders strikes back in two biggest states

It's really heating up.

As expected, Sanders appears to be doing well in California. The Associated Press has already called it for him, even though the polls have only just closed.

There are a whopping 415 delegates up for grabs in California and given how well Joe Biden has performed in the other super Tuesday states, Sanders will need to win by a big margin.

It's also hot hot hot in Texas, which has 228 delegates available. Sanders has a narrow lead over Biden, but this has been closing over the last half hour.

Politico reports Biden has secured 259 delegates compared to Sanders' 150 with 900 still to be awarded. It's really a two-horse race now.

3.03pm on Mar 4, 2020

Sanders takes lead in the crucial state of Texas

Some positive news in Texas for Bernie Sanders against what has been a Joe Biden super Tuesday wave.

Sanders, the Democratic front runner heading into today's races, has a narrow lead over Biden in the delegate-rich 'Lone Star State'.

Bernie Sanders on the campaign trail in Virginia on Saturday. Sarah Silbiger/Bloomberg

It's still too early to call, but Sanders will pick up big numbers of delegates even if Biden makes up ground.

Sanders has also claimed victory in Utah, which has 29 delegates at stake. But for perspective, Texas has 228 delegates and California has 415.