America Votes

Biden Wins Big On Super Tuesday, But Sanders Takes California

Joe Biden won 10 states on Super Tuesday, but his top rival, Sen. Bernie Sanders, took home the night's biggest prize.

Biden Wins Big On Super Tuesday, But Sanders Takes California
Chris Carlson / AP

Super Tuesday was a very good day for Joe Biden. 

"It's still early, but things are looking awful, awful good," Biden said.

The former vice president won 10 states, but his top rival Bernie Sanders took home the night's biggest prize. 

The Associated Press projected Biden would win Alabama, Arkansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. Some of those projections were made within minutes of the polls closing, which speaks to the strength of Biden's support.

"We're literally in a battle for the soul of America. Winning means uniting America, not sowing seeds of division and anger and hate. We gotta beat Donald Trump and we will, but we can't become like him," Biden said.

Biden's success was fueled by the momentum he got after winning in South Carolina on Saturday. That included big endorsements from former candidates Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Beto O'Rourke. And Biden's win in Massachusetts is notable because he beat Sen. Elizabeth Warren in her home state.  

Sen. Bernie Sanders got a big win in California. The Associated Press projected his win in the Golden State as soon as polls closed there. Sanders also won Colorado, Utah, and his home state of Vermont. 

"Vermont from the bottom of our hearts, thank you all very much! Lets go on to the White House," Sanders said.

Super Tuesday was the first time Mike Bloomberg was on the ballot, but it wasn't a good day for him. Despite spending hundreds of millions of dollars, he didn't notch any state wins, and he dropped out of the race the next morning.

Early voting played a big role in the Super Tuesday results. Because Biden's surge came so late, Sanders was more successful in states with a high number of early voters. While Biden outperformed some of the most recent polls in states where people showed up and voted on March 3.

But the race for the Democratic nomination isn't about winning states, it's about winning delegates. In all, 1,357 delegates will be awarded from Super Tuesday, with most of them going to Biden and Sanders.

Contains footage from CNN