Massachusetts Super Tuesday Results: Biden Shocks, Warren Falters

BOSTON — A surging Joe Biden rode a wave of weekend momentum Tuesday night to win the Massachusetts Democratic primary, crashing what had been expected to be a two-person race between Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and home-state Sen. Elizabeth Warren. The Associated Press called the race for the former vice president just before 11 p.m.

Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg finished a distant fourth, finishing below the 15 percent threshold to win delegates.

"It's a good night, it's a good night," Biden said Tuesday night in Los Angeles. "And it seems to be getting even better. They don't call it Super Tuesday for nothing."

The Associated Press called the GOP primary much earlier for President Donald Trump, who saw nothing more than a token challenge from a small Republican field that included former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld.

Massachusetts had 91 Democratic delegates at stake Tuesday. Sanders made a late play to pry them from Warren, rallying in Springfield Friday and on Boston Common Saturday. But it was Biden who swooped in with an unexpected victory.

For Warren, it's potentially a death blow to her once-promising campaign. The Massachusetts senator will face increasing pressure from the party's liberal base to drop out as the race turns into a battle between Biden and Sanders.

Trump took a shot at Warren and Bloomberg late Tuesday night.

"Elizabeth 'Pocahontas' Warren, other than Mini Mike [Bloomberg], was the loser of the night," Trump tweeted. "She didn’t even come close to winning her home state of Massachusetts. Well, now she can just sit back with her husband and have a nice cold beer!"

Super Tuesday Latest Results From Around The Country

The party's moderate wing has already started to consolidate around Biden, with former Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Amy Klobuchar and billionaire Tom Steyer dropping out after the South Carolina primary. Buttigieg and and Klobuchar endorsed Biden Monday night.

Biden has experienced a massive surge since Saturday. His blowout South Carolina victory breathed new life into a campaign that appeared to wither following so-so performances in several debates and disappointing finishes in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada.

But Biden's longstanding political relationships in South Carolina, along with his high standing among African American voters, helped him reach what supporters hope is a turning-point victory.

Still, Biden entered Super Tuesday playing the underdog to Sanders. The Vermont senator was neck-and-neck with Buttigieg in Iowa, topped him in New Hampshire and trounced his opponents in Nevada. Sanders finished a distant second in South Carolina, netting 20 percent of the vote.

Late results were still to come from delegate-rich California and Texas, both of which were favored to tip Sanders way, though Biden's late spate of endorsements could help him in the Lone Star state.

Warren wasn't the only candidate hoping to enjoy some home cooking. Bloomberg had been looking to Massachusetts moderates to help give him a path forward.

The former mayor of New York City finally got on the ballot Super Tuesday after skipping the first four states, jumping into the race when Biden appeared his most vulnerable. Since then, Warren eviscerated Bloomberg on the debate stage, and Biden has regained his mojo, raising the question of just what Bloomberg expects to bring to what is already a crowded field.

Bloomberg's campaign will reportedly reassess where it stands Wednesday.

Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard also remains in the race, though she barely registered in the statewide results.

Massachusetts primary coverage

• Super Tuesday In MA: What's At Stake In Democratic Primary
• Arlington's Biggest Political Insider Is 11 Years Old
• Elizabeth Warren Votes In Cambridge, Heads To Michigan
• 94-Year-Old Needham Woman Says Voting Is A Special Occassion

As of Tuesday afternoon, turnout was trending higher than 2016, according to Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin.

For many voters, who they supported was a last-second decision.

Brad Elgart and Janet Carlson, a couple from Ashland, both voted for Warren. Carlson said she would vote for Bloomberg in the general election, while Elgart's alternate is Sanders.

Both said Warren isn't likely to win the nomination, but they wanted to support their home senator.

"She would've made a great president," Elgart said. "It's time for misogyny to die out in America."

Jonah Riddell, a scientist, didn't say who he voted for. His priority was a younger candidate who is tech-savvy and interested in supporting science.

"It's exciting to come in and place your vote," he said. "It's been a rough couple of years."

In Newton, Lauren Wise supported Warren.

"I love Elizabeth Warren, and I just wanted to make sure I could vote for her," Wise said. "Even if she doesn't make it all the way, I think it's important that her home state support her."

In Reading, Michelle Faulkner said she voted against Trump in the Republican primary.

"[I] will vote [Democrat] in the general for the first time in my life," she said.

With reporting by Neal McNamara in Ashland, Jenna Fisher in Newton, and Alex Newman in Reading.