Bernie Sanders jumps to early national delegate lead ahead of South Carolina primary
Sanders has about 45% of the available delegates so far.
Saturday’s South Carolina primary will award 54 pledged delegates. Biden has led Sanders in recent polls of the state, though the margins have varied widely. An average of recent surveys shows the former vice president with a 12 percentage point edge, according to RealClearPolitics.
On Tuesday, the day 14 states hold primaries, more than a third of total delegates will be up for grabs. The Super Tuesday contests in states such as California and Texas will play a huge role in determining whether Sanders can win a majority of delegates.
Sanders has enjoyed a big lead in an average of recent polls of California, the biggest Super Tuesday prize, which awards 416 delegates. Sanders and Biden are locked in a close race in the second biggest prize, Texas, according to recent surveys.
Polling averages also show close contests among Sanders, Biden and former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg in Super Tuesday states North Carolina and Virginia. Bloomberg is not on the South Carolina ballot.
Article source: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/28/bernie-sanders-leads-2020-primary-delegate-count-before-south-carolina.html