This article is more than 5 months old

This article is more than 5 months old

Joe Biden swept three key primaries in Florida, Illinois and Arizona on Tuesday night, dominating a third consecutive week of elections as he built a nearly indomitable lead in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination under the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic.

His resounding victories all but eliminated a path for his rival, Bernie Sanders, whose campaign is at a crossroads as he contemplates whether to stay in a fight for the liberal agenda he has championed for decades, or to exit and help Democrats unify the party behind his opponent as the country faces a public health crisis.

After the win, Biden made an overture to Sanders’ supporters, as he seeks to add to his lead. Biden said he and Sanders shared common goals, regarding healthcare, inequality and the climate crisis.

“So let me say especially to the young voters who have been inspired by Senator Sanders, I hear you. I know what’s at stake,” Biden said, in a a livestream video posted after the Florida and Illinois results were declared.

“I know what we have to do. Our goal as a campaign, and my goal as a candidate for president is to unify this party, and then to unify the nation.”

Sanders has far more support than Biden among young voters, who are more likely to be skeptical of Biden’s incremental approach.

Biden’s victories came as Donald Trump formally sealed the Republican presidential nomination, surpassing the necessary delegate threshold after facing no significant opposition.

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Tuesday’s elections underscored the uncertainty surrounding the Democratic presidential primary amid a global outbreak that has closed borders, roiled the economy and touched nearly every corner of public life. Ohio, which was also due to vote on Tuesday, postponed its elections, defying a court order and closing polls, even as Florida, Illinois and Arizona moved forward despite pressure to delay their contests.

Before polls closed on Tuesday, Sanders delivered an address responding to the public health and economic crisis caused by the coronavirus outbreak. He predicted the US government would ultimately spend $2tn “to prevent deaths, job losses and to avoid an economic catastrophe” and called for every American household to receive monthly payments of $2,000 during the crisis.

“Our country and our world are facing an unprecedented series of crises,” he said in remarks that made no reference to the election.

More than 6,300 Americans have tested positive for the virus, despite limited testing, with 108 deaths as of Tuesday evening. The message from officials is that the outbreak will worsen dramatically.

On Monday, Trump advised Americans not to gather in groups of more than 10, further restricting guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which recommended that no gatherings with 50 people or more be held for the next eight weeks.

Against that backdrop, Mike DeWine, the Republican governor of Ohio, announced on Monday afternoon that he would seek to postpone the election until 2 June. Hours later an Ohio county judge rejected the request, saying it would set a “terrible” precedent.

DeWine instructed the state’s director of health to declare a public health emergency. He argued that holding the election would place voters and poll workers in potential danger.

“We should not force people to make this choice, a choice between their health and their constitutional rights and their duties as American citizens,” DeWine said at a press conference, adding: “I think when we look back on this, we are going to be glad we did this.”

Tom Perez, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, assailed the move for causing “more chaos and confusion” and sought to discourage other states from following suit.

But it may be too late. Louisiana and Georgia were the first states to announce they would delay their primaries in response to the outbreak. Kentucky joined Ohio on Monday, choosing to delay its primary from 19 May to 23 June. And on Tuesday, Maryland became the fifth state to postpone its presidential primary election, moving it from 28 April to 2 June.

Officials in Florida, Arizona and Illinois took additional precautions to ensure the safety of voters and poll workers, including sanitizing voting machines and offering curbside voting. But there were reports of poll worker shortages and confusion over polling locations.

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The virus has reshaped the 2020 election campaign in other ways. Trump is not holding his signature rallies and the Democratic candidates, both in their late 70s, are forgoing big gatherings, opting instead to hold virtual town halls and live-streamed events. On the eve of the latest primaries, Sanders participated in a digital rally from his hometown of Burlington, while Biden held a “tele-town hall”.

The election delays have added another layer of unpredictability to a primary that has seen months of twists and surprises. Simon Rosenberg, a veteran consultant and the president of the New Democrat Network and the New Policy Institute, said coronavirus presented an “unprecedented” challenge for the party.

“Democrats now must to find a way to complete this primary given the uncertainty of when each state is going to vote and whether we’re even going to be able to have a convention in July,” he said.

Padding his delegate lead further, Biden was also finally declared the winner of last week’s primary in Washington, a state Sanders hoped to win.

In his remarks on Tuesday night, Biden made an explicit appeal to Sanders’ loyal supporters.

“I hear you. I know what’s at stake. I know what we have to do,” he said. “Our goal as a campaign, and my goal as a candidate, is to unify this party and unify this nation.

“Senator Sanders and I may disagree on tactics, but we share a common vision,” Biden said, before running through a list of issues Sanders and his supporters have championed, including healthcare, income inequality and the climate crisis.

Daniel Strauss and Adam Gabbatt contributed to this story.