Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton, left, and Vermont socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders, right. (Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images; Joshua Lott/Getty Images)
Vermont socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders has defeated frontrunner Hillary Clinton in the Indiana Democratic primary with overwhelming support from independents. While the Hoosier State served to secure the nomination with Republican frontrunner Donald Trump, independent-leaning Democrats and Democratic primary voters are clearly not resigned to Mrs. Clinton, though she has an overwhelming delegate lead.
Sen. Sanders last weekend vowed to bring the battle for the nomination to a contested convention. While the exit polls appeared to be off on both sides of the aisle, the electorate still appeared to be more liberal than is historically typical for Indiana.
Sixty-seven percent of Democratic voters were self-described liberals in the exit poll results, compared with 62% on average in previous Democratic contests to date. Twenty-seven percent were “very” liberal, similar to previous races and another comparatively strong Sanders group; the difference in Indiana was that he won them by 64-36 percent, compared with 50-50 in earlier contests this year.
While the talk of party division from mediates has focused on the Republican race, it was clear that voters in Indiana have not resigned to voting for Mrs. Clinton. While she has secured 90% of the delegates needed to secure the nomination, the lead is far smaller without superdelegates. Plagued by trust issues and a lack of excitement, the Clinton campaign faces stronger than anticipated opposition in California, which votes on June 7.
Fifty-eight percent in Indiana exit polls said Sen. Sanders was the more inspiring candidate, juxtaposed to just 4 in 10 who chose Mrs. Clinton. Sen. Sanders’ result was close to his best on this question measured at 59% in Wisconsin.
The Clinton campaign sought to downplay expectations heading into the state, which they admitted
