Saturday Caucus Results: Sanders Trounces Clinton In Hawaii, Alaska And Washington

UPDATE: 4:00 a.m. EDT — Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders defeated Hillary Clinton in Saturday’s Democratic caucuses in Hawaii, which had 34 delegates at stake. With 88 percent of precincts reporting in the state, Sanders led Clinton in the caucuses, 70.6 percent to 29.2 percent.

“We are making significant inroads in Secretary Clinton's lead and ... we have a path to victory,” Sanders told his supporters in Madison, Wisconsin. “It is hard for anybody to deny that our campaign has the momentum.”

Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont, also won the Democratic caucuses in Washington state and Alaska on Saturday.

UPDATE: 8:40 p.m. EDT — With at least two wins Saturday, Bernie Sanders’ supporters were looking toward the New York primary in three weeks to show that their candidate can beat Hillary Clinton, the Democratic front-runner. Sanders saw major victories against Clinton in Alaska and Washington state Saturday; results were not yet in from Hawaii.

New York’s April 19 primary could be a determining moment for both campaigns: a win for Clinton could mark the last necessary blow against Sanders, while a win for Sanders could push him closer Clinton. Hundreds of supporters of New York-born Sanders celebrated the opening of his campaign office in the New York City borough of Brooklyn on Saturday.

Sanders is expected to pick up and sharpen his attacks against Clinton ahead of the vote, the Washington Post reported. Clinton was a former U.S. senator from New York and a win for Sanders would be an embarrassment to her campaign.

Despite the wins Saturday, however, Sanders might not fare so well in New York, if polling is accurate. Multiple polls show Clinton with a heavy lead against the Vermont senator. In an Emerson poll, Clinton led with 71 percent among likely Democratic voters, RealClear Politics reported.

The former secretary of state remains hundreds of delegates ahead of Sanders, much of it built on momentum in Southern states, where she saw widespread victories.

UPDATE: 8:04 p.m. EDT — While waiting for results from Hawaii on Saturday evening, supporters of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont were celebrating Hillary Clinton’s shrinking delegate lead. Although Clinton, a former U.S. secretary of state, remains the Democratic presidential front-runner, Sanders on Saturday was having what some considered his best night of the campaign.

“We are making significant inroads in Secretary Clinton’s lead,” Sanders told supporters during a victory rally in Madison, Wisconsin. “We have a path toward victory.”

Clinton continues to hold a comfortable lead in the race. Before Saturday’s results came in, Clinton held 1,228 of the pledged delegates. Sanders held 947. The big win of the evening for Sanders was in Washington state, where more than 100 delegates were at stake. The success is expected to give Sanders’ campaign a momentum boost.

Former Republican Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, a critic of Clinton, weighed in on the race via Twitter:

UPDATE: 7:25 p.m. EDT -- The Democratic caucus in Hawaii, set for 1 p.m. local time, has begun. Officials expect a high voter turnout, with more ballots cast than the 35,000 in 2008. Thirty-four delegates are at stake in Saturday's contest between U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Earlier Saturday, Sanders secured decisive leads over Clinton in both Alaska and Washington state. The wins were seen as crucial for Sanders to keep his campaign’s momentum going. Clinton continues to hold a national edge against Sanders.

During a victory speech Saturday in Madison, Wisconsin, Sanders celebrated his wins and vowed to continue to the nomination. He highlighted his campaign’s high level of support among youth and vowed to fight for a more equitable economy.

UPDATE: 6:42 p.m. EDT — U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont was the projected winner of the Washington state caucus, with 31 percent of the vote counted, the New York Times reported. He held a strong lead with 76 percent of the vote.

The state, with more than 100 delegates at stake, was the most important contest Saturday. Sanders was also the projected winner in Alaska, with support from 79 percent of voters after 73 percent of the votes were counted. Results from Hawaii were set to come in later.

Sanders celebrated his wins in Alaska and Washington state on Saturday during a campaign rally in Madison, Wisconsin. Sanders highlighted a poll that showed him beating GOP front-runner Donald Trump by double digits in a general election, and emphasized the excitement his campaign has managed to build, particularly among young voters.

“What we are seeing is that the young people love this country so much, and want to make it a better country and that they are prepared to stand up and fight and take on the major crises that we face,” he told fans Saturday. “They want an economy that works for all of us not just wealthy campaign contributors."

During his speech, his Washington state victory became apparent. He interrupted his remarks, asking supporters: "Are you ready for a news alert? We just won the state of Washington! That is what momentum is about!”

UPDATE: 5:43 p.m. EDT — With a decisive win in Alaska Saturday, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is set to speak momentarily at a rally in Wisconsin. Sanders is also holding a strong lead in Washington as 19 percent of the vote has been counted. View his rally here:

UPDATE: 5:30 p.m. EDT — U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont was the projected winner of the Alaska caucus, with 38 percent votes reported and 79 percent of the vote, the New York Times reported. The win is expected to boost Sanders’ momentum in the race as former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton continues to hold the national lead. Sixteen delegates were at stake in Alaska.

Sanders was also leading in Washington with 74 percent, with 14 percent of the votes reported. Washington is the big prize of the day, as more than 100 delegates are up for grabs.

Results have not yet come in from Hawaii, also set to vote today. Not including Saturday's results, Clinton has won a total of 1,223 pledged delegates, while Sanders has 920.

UPDATE: 4:55 p.m. EDT — Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is holding a strong lead ahead of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, early results from the Alaska caucus showed. With just 15 percent reporting, Sanders led Clinton, the national Democratic front-runner, by 63 points with more than 81 percent of the vote, New York Times polls showed.

Sanders also continued holding a lead in Washington state, where 11 percent of the votes were counted. Sanders held a 47 percent margin over Clinton, the Associated Press reported. The state is considered crucial for Sanders to win in order to keep his campaign’s momentum going.

UPDATE: 4:20 p.m. EDT — With just 7 percent of precincts reporting, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders was leading former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Sanders was reported to have 75 percent of the votes counted, Washington State Democrats reported.

Although still early, Sanders supporters online were optimistic he could hold the lead. A win in the state could offer a major boost for the candidate’s struggling campaign. Two other states — Hawaii and Alaska — are also holding caucuses Saturday.

UPDATE: 3:40 p.m. EDT — Precincts in Washington were overflowing with caucus-goers, the Seattle Times reported. Some voters at Seattle’s Town Hall, with a 900-person capacity, were left to meet in the parking lot. Reports indicated that the turnout was in Sen. Bernie Sanders’ favor.

The Vermont politician, a self-declared Democratic Socialist, is hoping that winning Washington’s 118 delegates could offer his campaign a major boost in momentum. The event is set to last about two hours, meaning early results could start coming in at around 4 p.m. EDT. The caucus process has also begun in Alaska, where 20 delegates are up for grabs.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton holds a comfortable lead ahead of Sanders, but Sanders' young and passionate supporters say the next few states appear to swing in his favor.

UPDATE: 3:14 p.m. EDT — Democrats in Washington, Alaska and Hawaii could play a big role in determining how Sen. Bernie Sanders’ campaign moves forward. Supporters of Sanders, who has generally done well with caucuses, said the voting contests Saturday seemed to sway in his favor. If he takes home big wins Saturday, particularly the biggest prize of the day — 118 delegates in Washington state — it could offer a boost of momentum for the struggling candidate, the New York Times reported.

Saturday’s turnout was high, early reports indicated, as caucuses in Washington and Alaska were already in full swing. Supporters of Sanders are urging Washington’s 17 superdelegates — who are not pledged to a particular candidate — to follow the lead of the voters. A petition on MoveOn.org had reportedly collected thousands of signatures.

UPDATE: 2:17 p.m. EDT — Caucusing has begun in Alaska, where 20 delegates are up for grabs in the Democratic contest. Caucusing also began earlier in Washington state, which carries 101 delegates. Hawaii still has a few hours before doors open.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is hoping wins Saturday will help her maintain a comfortable lead ahead of Bernie Sanders. The Vermont senator, on the other hand, is hoping Saturday will give his campaign a needed boost to continue moving forward.

UPDATE: 1:20 p.m. EDT — Democratic caucusing has begun in Washington state, where 101 delegates are up for grab Saturday. Both candidates have pushed to win over voters in the state, and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is likely hoping a win there will give him the boost needed to keep his campaign's momentum going. Democrats in Alaska and Hawaii are also set to vote Saturday.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has won a total of 1,223 pledged delegates, while Sanders has 920. Supporters of Sanders say the next few states to vote, including the three states caucusing Saturday, seem swayed in his favor.

Washington State Caucus District 44 at Glacier Peak High School #WashingtonforBernie #caucusday pic.twitter.com/PMlRFKdca4

— Laura Kirk (@laurakwwu) March 26, 2016

UPDATE: 12:10 p.m. EDT — Though they were elsewhere, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders tried to drum up interest in Saturday’s contests by tweeting followers:

Caucuses begin in Washington at 10 a.m. PDT (1 p.m. EDT).

UPDATE: 9:40 a.m. EDT — Sen. Bernie Sanders drew thousands of supporters to a rally at Safeco Field in Seattle ahead of Saturday’s Washington caucuses, joking he’d always dreamed of being behind home plate in a Major League ballpark, saying he always thought it would be with a bat in his hand, not giving a speech, the Seattle Times reported.

An estimated 15,000 turned out for the Friday evening speech during which the Vermont lawmaker insisted he is the stronger candidate to take on front-running Republican Donald Trump, whom he likened to a kid engaging in a cafeteria food fight, and criticized Clinton for taking Wall Street money.

The rally was Sanders’ fifth and largest in the state.

Washington has 101 delegates up for grabs. Some 35,000 absentee ballots already have been cast, the Times said.

UPDATE: 9:30 a.m. EDT — Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton got a late boost ahead Saturday’s Washington caucuses with the endorsement of 19 Native American tribes while longshoremen threw in with remaining Clinton rival Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Seattle P-I reported.

Clinton met in a roundtable with tribal leaders Tuesday.

“From her work on the Indian Health Care Improvement Act and Children's Health Insurance Program, to supporting the United States’ role in the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Hillary has long been by our side,” Swinomish Tribal Community chair Brian Cladoosby said.

W. Ron Allen, chairman of the Jamestown S’Kallam Tribe, said he is convinced Clinton will “honor the government-to-government relationship” between Washington and the 566 Indian nations.

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union, meanwhile, called Sanders the best candidate for working families. The union represents 50,000 working along the Pacific coast.

“Bernie is best on the issues that matter most to American workers: better trade agreements, support for unions, fair wages, tuition for students in public colleges, Medicare for all, fighting a corrupt campaign finance system and confronting the power of Wall Street that's making life harder for most Americans,” union President Robert McEllrath said in a statement.

Original story:

Three states — Hawaii, Alaska and Washington — hold Democratic caucuses Saturday, pitting former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton against Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

Caucusing will begin at 10 a.m., local time, in Alaska, and unlike the more formalized primary voting system in other states, caucusgoers will sign in at a local precinct and stand on a side of the room that represents the candidate they want to represent the party in the election. Sanders and Clinton both made their final pushes in the state this week, but this isn’t the first time for Clinton campaigning in the state. She battled President Barack Obama in the 2008 election, losing to him.

Hawaii will hold a presidential preference poll, with 34 delegates up for grabs. Party leaders are hoping for a high turnout for the elections, similar to what happened in the 2008 election when many Hawaiians came out to cast ballots for native son Obama. Clinton so far is leading Sanders in delegates, with the former secretary of state at 1,689 and Sanders at 944.

Sanders’ campaign has said it is hoping for a strong showing in Washington state, with thousands of Democrats likely to vote and 101 delegates up for grabs, the News Tribune in Tacoma reported. Sanders held campaign events throughout the state last Sunday, and some observers have said Sanders may have the upper hand based on his fundraising efforts.

“We’re seeing a lot of national attention turn to Washington state because it’s the biggest state allocating delegates over the next few weeks,” Jamal Raad, a spokesman for Washington state Democrats, told the News Tribune. “I think both candidates are still working very hard to win over voters, and I think we’re seeing that this week with the visits by the candidates.”

This article will be updated throughout the day. Please check back for updates.