House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn said the Democratic National Committee should end the primary process if Bernie Sanders has a poor showing on Tuesday night, just before Joe Biden romped to victory.
“I think when the night is over, Joe Biden will be the prohibitive favorite to win the Democratic nomination, and quite frankly, if the night ends the way it has begun, I think it is time for us to shut this primary down, it is time for us to cancel the rest of these debates,” the South Carolina Democrat, who is credited with helping turn Biden’s campaign around, told NPR.
James Carville, a longtime Democratic strategist who has been critical of Bernie Sanders, expressed similar sentiments as news of Biden’s victories in Michigan, Mississippi, and Missouri rolled in.
“Let’s shut this puppy down, and let’s move on and worry about November. This thing is decided. There’s no reason to keep it going not even a day longer,” he said during an appearance on MSNBC as primary results rolled in.
Prominent Princeton professor Kevin Kruse called the notion “awful.”
“Biden will considerably widen his lead tonight but he won’t even be halfway to the number of delegates needed to win the nomination,” he tweeted.
This is an awful idea. Biden will considerably widen his lead tonight but he won’t even be halfway to the number of delegates needed to win the nomination.
Shutting this down prematurely would be the *absolute* worst thing the Democratic Party could do. https://t.co/Yyu815Ee6k
— Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) March 11, 2020
Candidates need a total of 1,991 delegates to win the Democratic nomination.
Biden expanded his delegate lead on Tuesday, winning Michigan, Missouri, and Mississippi.
