Joe Biden won Michigan's primary on Tuesday night, a huge victory that solidifies him as the Democratic front-runner and puts pressure on Bernie Sanders ' campaign going forward.

The former vice president handily defeated Sanders in a state where the Vermont senator pulled off a stunning upset just four years ago during the 2016 presidential primary. Fresh off a streak of Super Tuesday wins , Biden continued to rack up influential endorsements including Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, whose win in 2018 gave Democrats the governor's mansion again.

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Michigan is the biggest prize of the night with its 125 pledged delegates. But it's also a hugely symbolic state in both the primary and the general election. Michigan emerged as a critical battleground after President Donald Trump eked out a victory in 2016. The Rust Belt state was once considered a Democratic firewall and has since become a top priority for Democrats.

Biden was able to mobilize a coalition of working-class voters as well as black voters in Michigan to propel him to a critical victory over Sanders. The former vice president was able to leverage his ties to the Obama administration and the auto industry bailout over ten years ago that helped companies and employees working in plants based in Michigan.

The former vice president was also able to withstand attacks from Sanders about Biden's past support for the North American Free Trade Agreement and his record on Social Security. Sanders frequently criticized Biden over NAFTA, arguing that Midwestern states "have been very hard hit by disastrous" trade deals.

Sanders focused his campaign on Michigan over the past several days. In 2016, his close win in the state helped sustain his campaign against Hillary Clinton for months – and he hoped a win this year would help him regain his footing in the 2020 battle for the Democratic nomination.