LAS VEGAS _ Sen. Bernie Sanders on Saturday won the Nevada caucuses, cementing his status as the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination. Early results showed former Vice President Joe Biden clinching second place.
Various news organizations, including the Associated Press, quickly called the race for Sanders after the first batch of caucus totals were counted.
Speaking in front of a raucous crowd in San Antonio, a victorious Sanders promised to lead a multigenerational, multiracial movement that would oust President Donald Trump from the White House.
"We're bringing people together around an agenda that works for the working people of this country, not the 1%," Sanders said.
Sanders' easy win is raising questions about whether the so-called democratic socialist can be stopped from capturing the Democratic Party's nomination for president.
Speaking to supporters in Las Vegas, former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg, who finished third, conceded Nevada to Sanders, but blasted the front-runner as being to polarizing to be president.
He called the Sanders-led revolution "inflexible," saying that voters should "not only end the era of Trump, but launch the era that must come next."
"Sen. Sanders sees capitalism as the root of all evil. He'd go beyond reform and reorder the economy in ways most Democrats _ let alone most Americans _ don't support," Buttigieg said. "I believe we need to defeat Trump and turn the page on this era in our politics by establishing a tone of belonging, bringing an end to the viciousness and the bullying that is tearing apart the country."
Buttigieg faces another tough contest in South Carolina, where black voters dominate the primary process. He's polling poorly with minority voters.
For Biden, Nevada could be the beginning of a resurgence, though he finished far behind Sanders.
After disappointing results in Iowa and New Hampshire, Biden is hoping to link his Nevada finish with a victory in next week's South Carolina primary.
Shortly after initial results were released, Biden addressed supporters in Las Vegas and claimed a comeback.
"Y'all did it for me," he said to a vocal crowd, with a person yelling out "the comeback kid."
"We're alive and we're coming back and we're going to win," he said.
The Nevada results were mixed for the rest of the Democratic field. After winning Iowa and New Hampshire, Buttigieg was third, followed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota. Billionaire businessman Tom Steyer was trailing the top five.
The day belonged to Sanders, the Vermont independent, who said this week he will perform well in South Carolina, where Biden is favored, and then steam through the March 3 Super Tuesday states that include California and Texas.
"Bernie Sanders has given voice to the frustrations that working class people have felt for a long time," said Analilia Mejia, national political director for his presidential campaign. "The senator's platform resonates with working people." At the end of the day, it's the combination of the boldness of the issues, as well as the fact that people trust him. They trust that he is going to deliver for them."
President Donald Trump was quick to comment on the results, congratulating Sanders and lashing out at former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who did not compete in the Battle Born State.
"Congratulations Bernie and & don't let them take it away from you!" Trump tweeted.
On Friday, the Washington Post reported that U.S. officials have told Sanders that Russia is attempting to help his presidential campaign as part of an effort to interfere with the Democratic contest.
DIVERSITY TEST
Nevada, the first primary in a Western state, has 48 delegates, including 36 who are pledged.
The Battle Born State is considered a bellwether, having selected the winner of all but two presidential contests from 2012 to 2016. Last year former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton narrowly won the state over Donald Trump, who won the White House
For 2020 Democrats, Nevada was a test on how its major contenders would perform in a diverse electorate. Democratic primaries feature a growing segment of Hispanic voters, reliable black voters and union workers.
Sanders, who in 2016 lost here to Clinton, had the best organization and appealed to a cross section of voters.
Political observers were watching to see how Buttigieg, Warren and Klobuchar performed, since they don't have well-defined bases in African American or Latino communities.
CASINO CAUCUSES
The drama played out in caucuses across the state that started at noon.
At the Bellagio resort and casino in Las Vegas, cooks, cocktail servers, dealers and other service industry workers gathered in a ballroom to a caucus.
Perhaps a snapshot of what occurred throughout the state, Sanders was the easy winner, with Biden finishing second and Warren third. The powerful culinary workers union that represents many casino workers declined to endorse a candidate. There were questions about whether union members would vote to support Sanders because of his support of "Medicare for All" and the fact that the union workers have a good health care plan as part of their membership.
At the Bellagio caucus, Buttigieg, Klobuchar and Steyer received zero support, but obviously did better elsewhere.
Monica Smith, a culinary worker from Las Vegas, caucused for Sanders.
"He is the most viable candidate and can beat Donald Trump," she said. "Bernie Sanders will stand with the people."
Chalondra Prather, 45, was still in her cocktail server dress when she caucused for Biden. After standing for the former vice president, she hurried back to the casino.
"It's an amazing experience," Prather said. "For me Joe Biden is the best candidate and I hope he wins the nomination. But whatever happens I can tell you I'm glad I participated."
The Nevada contest could be a crushing blow to Steyer, an underdog candidate who invested time and his own money to win the state.
Before the caucuses began, Steyer told The Dallas Morning News that he felt good about his effort.
"If we have a strong voter turnout, I'll do well," he said.
Nearly 75,000 people gave their preferences early, and turnout for Saturday's caucus was expected to be higher than in 2016.
With Nevada in the books, the candidates are focused on South Carolina and the March 3 Super Tuesday.
Sanders was already in Texas Saturday. Over the weekend his campaign stops include El Paso, San Antonio, Houston and Austin.
Bloomberg was not on Nevada preference ballots. He's spent over $400,000 on campaign ads and a field operation in states across the country, including Texas. He's scheduled to campaign next week in Fort Worth and Houston.
