Ellington

Former Vice President Joe Biden drew just over 83 percent of the Hinds County vote in Democratic voting last night in his statewide rout of U.S. Bernie Sanders, who did not win any counties in the state. Biden's percentage of the vote in Hinds County means he did slightly better in the capital-city region than the state as a whole. The New York Times reports Biden drew 81.1% of the vote across the Magnolia State, to Sanders' 14.8%, just pushing the Vermont senator out of contention for state delegates. Sanders fared slightly better in neighboring Rankin County, where Biden won 79% to 18%, as well as in Madison County, where the margin was Biden 82% to Sanders 15%. Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg came in a distant third with 2.5% of the vote statewide, and 1.2% in Hinds County. Bloomberg dropped out of the race and endorsed Biden after a disappointing finish on Super Tuesday.

Democratic voter turnout in Mississippi soared in comparison to 2016 with 37,950 more voters participating in last night's primary elections than four years previously. In Hinds County, the increase in voter turnout was 5,724. In Rankin, that increase was 3,343, and in Madison it was 4,064.

Mississippi's crushing win for Biden reflects the currents of the race nationally. A mass exit from the Democratic primary prior to Super Tuesday followed by a series of back-to-back endorsements from Biden's previous competitors for the moderate lane placed the Sanders campaign on its back foot. Last week, Sanders pulled out of planned events in Mississippi, including an appearance Friday with Jackson Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba to fend off a Biden rally in Michigan, ultimately losing both states.

Lumumba endorsed Sanders Feb. 28 after attending a People's Caucus hosted by Mississippi Votes, a nonprofit organization promoting voting in the state. Sanders drew several dozen votes with Elizabeth Warren in second place. After Sanders cancelled Friday's appearance with him at the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, Lumumba worked as a surrogate to get out the vote, along with actor Danny Glover, feminist scholar Barbara Smith and activist Phillip Agnew.

But the vast majority of the Mississippi Democratic Party, including Hinds County voters backed Biden, who appeared in person at New Hope Baptist Church on March 8. In Hinds County alone, Biden won 36,263 votes to Sanders' 6,215.

Down ballot, Mike Espy cruised to an expected victory, and now faces a general election against Republican U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith. Former Gov. Phil Bryant appointed Hyde-Smith in 2018 after Sen. Thad Cochran retired for health reasons. Hyde-Smith defeated Espy in the special election 56%-43%.

U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, who along with Espy, claimed an equally complete victory in House District 2's primary, winning with 94% of the vote. In House District 3, Dorothy Benford won the Democratic primary against Katelyn Lee 64%-36%. Benford will face Republican incumbent Michael Guest this November.

Email state reporter Nick Judin at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter at @nickjudin.