Sanders Trounces Clinton in Washington State and Alaska

Bernie Sanders has won decisive victories in the state of Washington and in Alaska, the New York Times and various other news sources are reporting. Primary voters are still at the polls in Hawaii.

In Alaska, Sanders pulled 79 percent of the vote. In Washington he won 74 percent. Both were caucus states, in which Sanders tends to perform strongly. In Hawaii, the primary is a hybrid called a presidential preference poll. 

Per the New York Times:

Senator Bernie Sanders has won the Washington State and Alaska caucuses, according to The Associated Press, two critical victories that could give his campaign a new burst of momentum heading into the Midwest and Northeast primaries next month.

Democrats in Hawaii were also voting on Saturday in the last contest of March.

Washington, the largest prize of the day with 101 delegates in play, and Alaska, with 16 delegates, held caucuses, essentially local voting meetings: the kind of contests where Mr. Sanders has done well. Both states also have relatively low percentages of black and Hispanic voters, two groups that have favored Hillary Clinton this year.

Hawaii Democrats are awarding 25 delegates based on a “presidential preference poll,” a hybrid event in which voters show up at a scheduled meeting, like a caucus, but vote by secret ballot, like a primary.