Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) won a close primary contest over Hillary Clinton in Michigan in 2016. Four years later, he's projected to lose to Joe Biden in the same state by double digits, which has a lot of analysts now arguing his previous victory might have been more about his opponent than him.
Biden's ability to swipe Michigan from Sanders likely hinges on a few factors — exit polls show he received major support from voters over the age of 45 (who turned out at higher rates than younger voters), as well as the state's African American voters. But he also edged Sanders among white men. The totals were close, with Biden ahead by just 3 percentage points, but it's a major turnaround considering Sanders defeated Clinton by 25 points among the demographic four years ago.
That appears to give some juice to the narrative that Sanders' victory in 2016 was "largely an anti-Hillary vote," rather than a pro-Sanders one.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Despite the Michigan loss, Clinton did go on to secure the nomination, but she ultimately lost to President Trump in the general election, and Michigan played a crucial role in that outcome. But there's some speculation that Biden turning the tide against Sanders could be a preview for what's to come in November, too. Tim O'Donnell
-
Out of office: microretirement is trending in the workplaceThe explainer Long vacations are the new way to beat burnout
-
Will California tax its billionaires?Talking Points Proposed one-time levy would shore up education, Medicaid
-
Blue Origin launches Mars probes in NASA debutSpeed Read The New Glenn rocket is carrying small twin spacecraft toward Mars as part of NASA’s Escapade mission
-
Trump DOJ sues to block California redistrictingSpeed Read California’s new congressional map was drawn by Democrats to flip Republican-held House seats
-
GOP retreats from shutdown deal payout provisionSpeed Read Senators are distancing themselves from a controversial provision in the new government funding package
-
Catholic bishops rebuke Trump on immigrationSpeed Read ‘We feel compelled’ to ‘raise our voices in defense of God-given human dignity,’ the bishops said
-
House releases Epstein emails referencing TrumpSpeed Read The emails suggest Trump knew more about Epstein’s sex trafficking of underage women than he has claimed
-
Newsom slams Trump’s climate denial at COP30speed read Trump, who has called climate change a ‘hoax,’ declined to send any officials to this week’s summit
-
UK, Colombia halt intel to US over boat attacksSpeed Read Both countries have suspended intelligence sharing with the US over the bombing of civilian boats suspected of drug smuggling
-
Trump pardons 2020 fake electors, other GOP alliesSpeed Read The president pardoned Rudy Giuliani and more who tried to overturn his 2020 election loss
-
Supreme Court to decide on mail-in ballot limitsSpeed Read The court will determine whether states can count mail-in ballots received after Election Day
