During his final speech in Nevada, delivered after the Democratic caucuses, former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg took aim at Democratic frontrunner Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Per The Hill , echoing earlier attacks, Buttigieg accused Sanders of believing “in an inflexible, ideological revolution that leaves out most Democrats, not to mention most Americans.”
“I believe the best way to defeat Trump and deliver for the American people is to broaden and galvanize the majority that supports us on critical issues,” Buttigieg said. One of Sanders’ most prominent surrogates, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio , immediately hit back, pointing out that the Vermont senator has managed to create a multi-racial coalition of voters.
In a Twitter message, de Blasio said the following.
“And hey @PeteButtigieg, try to not be so smug when you just got your a** kicked. You know how we form a winning coalition to beat Trump? With a true multi-racial coalition of working Americans: something @BernieSanders has proven he can do + you haven’t. Dude, show some humility.”
As The Hill notes, Sanders enjoys high support among young and non-white voters. In Nevada, Latino voters propelled him to victory. Buttigieg has struggled with those demographic groups, despite overperforming the polls in Iowa and New Hampshire.
Voters in Iowa, New Hampshire, and Nevada appear to be on board with Sanders’ agenda. In Nevada, the senator holds a monstrous lead over the rest of his competitors in the race, so multiple networks and news agencies have already called his victory, according to Politico . With around 11 percent of precincts reporting, Sanders is in first place with 46.6 percent of the vote — he won about half of Hispanic and Latino caucus-goers, far more than any other candidate.
Although Sanders’ victory is certain, it remains unclear who will finish second. Former Vice President Joe Biden appears best poised to do so, with 23.8 percent of the vote. Former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg is in third place, with 13.6 percent of the vote. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts is behind Buttigieg, with around nine percent of the vote. Trailing Warren is billionaire Tom Steyer with 3.7 percent.
Having won in Nevada, Sanders is heading strong into the South Carolina primary , where Biden and Steyer appear to be his main competitors. In the Palmetto State — long described as the former vice president’s firewall — Sanders is polling at 20 percent. Biden is in first place with 28 and Steyer in third with 14 percent support. It remains to be seen whether the Vermont senator’s strong showing in Nevada will result in a South Carolina surge.