Sanders and Cruz Win Wisconsin, Gain Momentum

Apr 06, 2016

Bernie Sanders and Ted Cruz were the big winners in yesterday’s (April 5) Wisconsin primaries.

The New York Times reports that Sanders bested Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton with 56.5 percent of the vote, bringing their total delegate counts to 1,027 and 1,279, respectively. And Cruz won 48.2 percent of votes in the Republican primary, leaving Donald Trump with 35.1 percent. Cruz and Trump now have 505 and 742 delegates, respectively. John Kasich, whose 143 delegates leave him with no numerical way to win his party’s nomination, secured 14.1 percent of the vote.

“Tonight is a turning point. It is a rallying cry," Cruz said at his victory party, according to NPR. “It is a call from the hardworking men and women of Wisconsin to the people of America. We have a choice. A real choice.”

Sanders also struck a hopeful tone at a rally in Wyoming, which will caucus on Saturday. “Let me say a word, maybe two, about what momentum is all about,” he said. “With our victory tonight in Wisconsin, we have now won seven out of eight of the last caucuses and primaries…and we have won almost all of them with overwhelming, landslide numbers.”

The Republican party requires its nominee to lock in 1,237 delegates. Dems need 2,383 delegates to represent their party in the general election.