Four wins and Clinton nearly clinches Democratic nod
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April 26 presidential primary elections, 2016
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 Date: November 8, 2016 |
Winner: Donald Trump (R) Hillary Clinton (D) • Jill Stein (G) • Gary Johnson (L) • Vice presidential candidates |
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April 27, 2016
With victories in the Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland and Pennsylvania Democratic presidential primaries on April 26, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is on the verge of clinching her party’s presidential nomination. Even her rival, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, seemed to acknowledge Clinton’s commanding position: In a statement issued by his campaign last night Sanders said he would continue to press on in the remaining primaries and caucuses “to fight for a progressive party platform” at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, a implicit recognition that his path to winning the nomination is all but closed.
Clinton’s victory in the delegate-rich Pennsylvania primary was decisive and she defeated Sanders by nearly 200,000 votes. She won Philadelphia and all four of the large suburban counties that ring the city, an area where Democratic candidates typically build their margin of victory to carry the Keystone State in general elections. Of the 20 largest vote-producing counties in the primary, Clinton won 17, losing only Berks (#9) and Lancaster (#10), exurban counties outside Philadelphia and Centre (#20), home to Penn State University.
| Pennsylvania Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | Delegates | |
 Hillary Clinton |
55.6% | 935,107 | 106 | |
| Bernie Sanders | 43.5% | 731,881 | 83 | |
| Roque De La Fuente | 0.9% | 14,439 | 0 | |
| Totals | 1,681,427 | 189 | ||
| Source: The New York Times and Pennsylvania Secretary of State | ||||
Her biggest win of the evening came in Maryland, where she defeated Sanders by almost 30 percentage points and 250,000 votes. Clinton won 21 of 23 counties in the state, losing only Allegany and Garrett in the rural far western corner of the state. She won the Maryland suburban counties of Washington D.C. in convincing fashion, carrying Prince George’s by three-to-one and Montgomery by more than two-to-one. Likewise, she won Baltimore City by more than two-to-one.
| Maryland Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | Delegates | |
|
Hillary Clinton |
62.5% | 573,242 | 60 | |
| Bernie Sanders | 33.8% | 309,990 | 35 | |
| Roque De La Fuente | 0.4% | 3,582 | 0 | |
| Other | 3.3% | 29,949 | 0 | |
| Totals | 916,763 | 95 | ||
| Source: The New York Times and Maryland Secretary of State | ||||
The closest battleground of the evening was Connecticut, where Clinton defeated Sanders, 52-to-47 percent. Her victory in the Nutmeg State came from trouncing Sanders in the wealthy suburban communities of New York City in Fairfield County, prevailing in the Hartford area, and winning working class cities and towns like Bridgeport, New Britain and Waterbury. She also carried New Haven, which in addition to Yale University has a relatively large African-American vote. Sanders did well in the more rural areas and old mill towns of eastern and western Connecticut. He notably carried Bristol, headquarters to sports broadcasting giant ESPN.
| Connecticut Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | Delegates | |
|
Hillary Clinton |
51.8% | 170,048 | 28 | |
| Bernie Sanders | 46.4% | 152,395 | 27 | |
| Roque De La Fuente | 0.3% | 960 | 0 | |
| Other | 1.5% | 4,872 | 0 | |
| Totals | 328,275 | 55 | ||
| Source: The New York Times and Connecticut Secretary of State | ||||
Sanders’ lone win of the night came in Rhode Island, the only state voting on April 26 that allowed registered independents to vote in the presidential primary of their choice. Of the 39 cities and towns in the state, Sanders won all but three: Barrington, Central Falls and Pawtucket. Clinton won Delaware and all three of its counties handily.
| Rhode Island Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | Delegates | |
|
Bernie Sanders |
54.7% | 66,993 | 13 | |
| Hillary Clinton | 43.1% | 52,749 | 11 | |
| Mark Steward | 0.2% | 236 | 0 | |
| Roque De La Fuente | 0.1% | 145 | 0 | |
| Other | 1.9% | 2,335 | 0 | |
| Totals | 122,458 | 24 | ||
| Source: The New York Times and Rhode Island Board of Elections | ||||
| Delaware Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | Delegates | |
|
Hillary Clinton |
59.8% | 55,954 | 12 | |
| Bernie Sanders | 39.2% | 36,662 | 9 | |
| Roque De La Fuente | 1.1% | 1,024 | 0 | |
| Totals | 93,640 | 21 | ||
| Source: The New York Times and Delaware Secretary of State | ||||
James A. Barnes is a senior writer for Ballotpedia and co-author of the 2016 edition of the Almanac of American Politics. He is a member of the CNN Decision Desk and will help to project the Democratic and Republican winners throughout the election cycle.
See also
- Presidential candidates, 2016
- Presidential debates (2015-2016)
- Presidential election, 2016/Polls
- 2016 presidential candidate ratings and scorecards
- Presidential election, 2016/Straw polls
