Joe Biden is projected to win the Illinois Democratic primary, further solidifying his status as the frontrunner for his party’s presidential nomination.
Biden will win in Illinois, according to Fox News and other election forecasters, defeating his sole primary rival, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. The decisive and quick victory was expected, given his strong lead in the polls ahead of Tuesday. The former vice president also captured Florida.
Biden’s victory in Illinois comes as the election itself is marred with controversy, with many critics panning the governor for allowing the election to continue despite the coronavirus pandemic.
Unlike in Ohio — where Republican Gov. Mike DeWine ordered the postponement of his state’s primary — Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker allowed Illinois’ primary to move forward as planned on Tuesday, despite immense concerns about the spread of coronavirus.
(Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
The state experienced extremely low voter turnout, with reports of voters being turned away and even allegations of volunteers quitting ahead of Election Day. Illinois officials also had to move polling places away from local nursing homes.
“It is not a time for political posturing,” Pritzker said on Tuesday in a press event, responding to Chicago election officials who wanted him to delay the election, according to the Chicago Tribune. “It is not a time to complain that you’re being asked to do uncomfortable things, to make hard choices, to go above and beyond in your responsibilities,”
More than 100 people have tested positive for coronavirus in Illinois, and the state announced its first death on Tuesday. Pritzker, nevertheless, carried on with the primary. (RELATED: Joe Biden Pledges To Undo Trump’s Public Charge Rule As Part Of Coronavirus Action Plan)
Biden’s win on Tuesday cements his status as the Democratic Party’s presumptive nominee. While Sanders has remained in race, it’s not likely he could reach the threshold necessary to reclaim his frontrunner status.
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