‘Tio Bernie’ Sanders’ thumping Nevada caucus victory could be repeated on Super Tuesday thanks to Latino voters he is courting in delegate-rich Texas and California (with a little star power help from AOC)
- Bernie Sanders big win in Nevada Saturday was propelled by Latino voters who came out in force for the Vermont senator
- Sanders could repeat this victory in delegate-rich California and Texas if he maintains support with Latino voters
- Sanders has been spending time courting members of the Latino community and has been aided by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
- During one December trip, she opened for Sanders at a Venice Beach, California rally before headlining a Spanish-language town hall in Nevada
- When she endorsed Sanders in October, she appeared with him in their native New York and called him ‘Tio Bernie,’ which means ‘uncle’ Bernie
- Now the campaign is selling t-shirts that say ‘Tio Bernie’ and it is often used at the campaign rallies he’s hosted in the early primary states
Bernie Sanders’ victory in Nevada was propelled by Latino voters who came out for the democratic socialist in force.
Latino voters made up 18 per cent of the electorate in Saturday’s Silver State caucuses, according to entrance polling from the Washington Post, and Sanders won 51 per cent of that group. Joe Biden came in a far second place, with 17 per cent of Hispanic voters caucusing for the ex-veep.
After this Saturday’s South Carolina primary, some of the most delegate-rich states with large Latino populations are next on the Democratic primary calendar.
Sen. Bernie Sanders could do some damage to the other candidates in delegate- rich states like Texas and California on Super Tuesday if he continues to dominate with Latino voters. Here he rallies in Austin on Sunday
Bernie Sanders (right) has benefitted from the endorsement of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (left), a rising Latina star on the left, who led a Spanish-language town hall for the Vermont senator in Nevada in December
Bernie Sanders’ campaign has spent money on Spanish language ads, which were on the airwaves in Nevada leading up to his big win in Saturday’s caucuses
On ‘Super Tuesday,’ both California and Texas will vote. California is the biggest delegate prize of all – with 415 Democratic delegates headed to the convention. Texas comes in next with 228 delegates.
Sanders has put in work in both these states.
‘Tio’ Bernie shirts are also being sold on the campaign website. Tio means ‘uncle’ in Spanish and it’s a nickname Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has used to describe Sanders
During the run-up to Saturday’s Nevada caucuses, Sanders was simultaneously campaigning in both California and Texas. On Friday he flew to California for the day and held two rallies before coming back to Las Vegas to make his final pitch to voters there.
On Saturday, instead of staying in Nevada for the caucus results, Sanders was already in Texas and held three campaign rallies throughout the weekend.
Sanders has benefitted from the support of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who endorsed the Vermont senator in mid-October, on the night he returned to the debate stage after suffering a heart attack in Las Vegas.
AOC headlined a New York City rally for Sanders later that month, where she endearingly called him ‘Tio Bernie.’ ‘Tio’ means uncle in Spanish. His campaign is selling t-shirts using the phrase.
She’s traveled with Sanders to a number of states, but in Nevada, particularly, helped reach out to Latino voters with a Spanish-language town hall, where she delivered a keynote.
Ocasio-Cortez was joined by the feisty mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico Carmen Yulin Cruz, another prominent Sanders supporter from the Latino community. Cruz became a household name for warring with President Trump in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, which ravaged the island.
During the same December trip, Ocasio-Cortez introduced Sanders at a rally on Venice Beach in California.
In Nevada, Sanders ran Spanish language ads.
On caucus day, Sanders’ overwhelming support from the Latino community was obvious.
At Rancho High School, where most of the population early voted, Sanders was the only viable candidate in two of the precincts holding their caucuses in the gymnasium. The bulk of those who came out for Sanders were Latino, and they were a mix of young and old.
There were 12 Sanders supporters, and then two for Tom Steyer, one for Elizabeth Warren and one for Pete Buttigieg, at one of the precincts. Trying to earn a few more votes for Sanders, one man grabbed the megaphone and made a case for the Vermont senator in Spanish. The other four voters decided against joining Sanders’ group, who walked away with every delegate from that particular precinct.
Beyond California and Texas on Super Tuesday, Sanders could perform well in Colorado, which also has a chunk of Latino voters.
Later in March, Arizona, Florida and Illinois also vote – and if the trend remains consistent, Sanders could collect large numbers of delebates in those states too thanks to the Latino vote.