Hawaii is holding caucuses Saturday as well; results are expected after midnight ET.
The wins amid record turnout are reaffirmation of Sanders’ appeal to the Democratic base and served to encourage the Vermont senator to argue that his momentum — including recent wins in the Idaho and Utah caucuses — will carry him to the nomination.
“We knew things were going to improve as we headed West,” Sanders said at a jubilant rally before 8,000 people in Madison, Wisconsin — a state that will hold the next major contest in 10 days. “We have a path toward victory.”
Clinton built up her delegate lead on the back of a strong run in the South, and Sanders argued Saturday his campaign always knew those states would be tough. In Madison, he said the map now offers more opportunities for his campaign as the contest progressed, largely because his wins are being powered by huge turnout among younger voters.
“With your help we’re going to win right here in Wisconsin,” he said. “So don’t let anyone tell you we can’t win the nomination, or win the general election. We’re going to do both of those things.”
But even with his big victories on Saturday, Sanders faces steep hurdles in catching Clinton in the delegate count.
While Washington had 101 delegates up for grabs, and both candidates spent a significant amount of time there, Hawaii and Alaska were relatively small prizes — with just 25 and 16 delegates at stake respectively.
Clinton’s campaign privately acknowledged that Saturday would be a good one for Sanders, and her efforts in Washington were aimed mostly at trying to keep the race relatively close, as delegates are distributed proportionally.
But with over 90% delegates accounted for, Sanders held a wide lead over Clinton in Washington, 72% to 28%. Alaska was more lopsided: Sanders won 80% to 20%.
Even though Wisconsin could be fertile territory for Sanders on April 5, Clinton is poised to do well in her home state of New York on April 19 with its 247 pledged delegates.
She also faces favorable territory in the upcoming Super Tuesday contest on April 26 when Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware, Rhode Island and Maryland voters head to the polls and nearly 400 pledged delegates are at stake.
While Sanders shaved Clinton’s lead in the delegate count, the former secretary of state had amassed 1,711 of the 2,383 delegates she would need to clinch the nomination before Saturday’s contests, according to CNN estimates.
Before the voting Saturday, Sanders had notched 952 delegates to date. That means he would need to win 75% of the remaining pledged delegates to defeat her
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