Democratic presidential race reduced to triangular contest ahead of 'Super Tuesday'

The Democratic presidential nomination is all set to heat up ahead of the much-awaited 'Super Tuesday' contest. All three front runners- Senator Sanders, former Vice President Joe Biden and Mayor Michael Bloomberg continue to remain favourites to grab the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent President Donald Trump.

Washington: On the eve of the crucial "Super Tuesday" primaries in 14 US states, the Democratic presidential race appeared to have reduced to a three-way contest.

The "Super Tuesday" results would allocate 1,357 of the 3,979 pledged delegates for the Democratic National Convention in Wisconsin later this summer, which would select its nominee for the presidential elections in November.

With former Indiana mayor Pete Buttigieg dropping out of the race, the fight to earn the nomination of the Democratic party to challenge 73-year-old incumbent President Donald Trump has virtually reduced to a three-way contest between three septuagenarians -- former vice president Joe Biden, Senator Bernie Sanders and former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Bloomberg, a late entrant in the race to the White House, is yet to win any of the primaries.

The 78-year-old billionaire businessman and philanthropist has spent millions of dollars from his pocket in lavish multi-state advertising blitz in an attempt to make his message reach voters.

He is heavily banking on the 'Super Tuesday' primaries to be held in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont and Virginia.

Read:Buttigieg drops out of Democratic presidential nominee race

Of the country's 50 states, four have already voted. However, March 3 is the biggest day of the entire presidential primary process, with tens of millions of Americans eligible for exercising their franchises.

This is Bloomberg's first bid at the White House, while Sanders, 78, is seeking his presidential ambition for the second consecutive term and 77-year-old Biden is making his third attempt.

Biden, who so far has won the South Carolina primary, has 54 pledged delegates in his kitty. Sanders has won the primaries in New Hampshire and Nevada. There was a tie between him and Buttigieg in Iowa Caucus. Sanders is leading the pledged delegate count with 58.

Buttigieg, who withdrew from the presidential race, had 26 delegate count. The two Democratic women in the top five of the race -- Senators Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar -- have eight and seven pledged delegates, respectively.

Though Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, the first Hindu ever elected to the House of Representatives, is still in the race, her presidential campaign is almost dead and literally has no chance.

On Monday, both Biden and Sanders went on a major campaign drive, while Bloomberg was banking on his ad campaign to woo voters.

While Biden is attracting a large number of endorsements from current and former elected officials, it is Sanders who is drawing more crowds as compared to rest of the candidates left in the race to the White House.

Trump, who is seeking re-election, is unopposed in the Republican primaries. But he is leaving no stone unturned. He has been addressing public rallies multiple times a week and has been drawing large crowds in all the states.

(PTI)