US Democratic Primaries: Joe Biden wins key Super Tuesday Democratic primaries

Joe Biden notched up startling wins over leftist rival Bernie Sanders in the Democrats' Super Tuesday contest to challenge President Donald Trump, with a torrent of projected victories showing his surprising muscle after what had appeared to be a failing campaign.

But despite early disappointments Sanders was still expected to rack up large numbers of delegates in by far the biggest states of the night, Texas and California, where polls were due to close at 0400 GMT.

With delegates in 14 states up for grabs, Biden was projected to win in Virginia, North Carolina, Alabama, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Arkansas and even Minnesota -- a state where Sanders had been expected to win handily.

The 78-year-old Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist with a fervent voter base, who aims to reshape America's economy, was projected to win as expected in his home state of Vermont, Colorado and Utah.

In a defiant speech, Sanders tore into Trump, calling him "the most dangerous president in the history of this country." But he also tore into Biden for having voted in favor of the invasion of Iraq and painting him as tarnished by billionaire contributors.

"We're taking on the political establishment," he said. "You cannot beat Trump with the same-old, same-old kind of politics." But for Biden, 77, the indications were that he was on for a big night in his bid to bring American politics back to the center after four years of Trump's rightwing populism.

"We are very much alive," he told a crowd in Los Angeles. "Make no mistake about it, this campaign will send Donald Trump packing." A key takeaway from Biden's lengthening list of wins was the strong support for the former vice president of Barack Obama from African Americans -- a vital piece in any Democratic presidential candidate's coalition.

Former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, 78, and Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren were the other big names on the ballot.

But despite spending record amounts of his own money on advertising, billionaire media entrepreneur Bloomberg appeared to be headed for an ugly night -- despite a consolation win in tiny American Samoa in the Pacific.

The 14 nominating contests across the country gave the dwindling field of Democratic hopefuls a giant potential haul of delegates in their marathon struggle to win the nomination -- and begin campaigning in earnest against Trump.

Many in the Democratic Party are desperate to stop Sanders' strong push to win that delegate race, saying the senator will be destroyed in a general election where Trump has signaled he will brand him a socialist bent on ending the American way of life.

Biden was practically counted out after a stumbling early campaign, but began to rebound with a landslide win in South Carolina last Saturday.

That was followed by the coordinated decisions of two other moderate candidates -- Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar -- to withdraw and endorse their former rival.

Bloomberg faces multiple calls from within the Democratic Party also to get out of the race and not split the centrist vote.

In a statement, Bloomberg's campaign insisted he was still competing. But it added: "Our number one priority remains defeating Donald Trump in November." Commenting on Bloomberg's feeble Virginia results, veteran political analyst Larry Sabato asked: "A hint to say bye-bye?"

Biden is making his third bid for the White House after failed runs in 1988 and 2008. He argues that he can bring a return to "decency" after the tumultuous, scandal-plagued Trump era.

Sanders' fans are convinced that only he can take on Trump, who also defied his party's establishment and more moderate wing four years ago to claim a surprise victory against Democratic heavyweight Hillary Clinton.

"We need energy. We need excitement. I think our campaign is that campaign," said Sanders.

Supporter Jamison Hanning, a 45-year-old plastics industry technician, said he was "pretty confident" despite the Biden pushback.

"I mean it is just people in the establishment being afraid of things being shaken up," he said.

Sanders went into Super Tuesday hoping to gain a near insurmountable delegate lead, perhaps delivering a knock-out blow well ahead of the party convention in Milwaukee in July.

A total of 1,357 delegates were at stake on Tuesday -- a third of the nationwide total. A candidate needs 1,991 delegates to win the nomination outright.

Democrats will also be looking for turnout and other signs of enthusiasm in a country deeply divided by Trump.

Certainly huge turnout in Virginia indicated excitement ahead of November, with nearly double the voters as in the Democratic primary there four years ago.

North Carolina

Delegate count: 110

The polls closed at 7:30 p.m. EST (0030 GMT Wednesday).

Joe Biden is projected to win and secure at least 14 delegates.

His victory was fueled at least in part by his overwhelming advantage among black voters.

Virginia

Delegate count: 99

The polls closed at 7 p.m. EST (0000 GMT).

Biden is projected to win Virginia and secure at least 27 delegates. Sanders will win at least one delegate.

The state has been trending more liberal in recent elections. Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg invested heavily there, flooding television with advertisements. But Biden benefited from voters who decided late who to back.

Alabama

Delegate count: 52

The polls closed at 8 p.m. EST (0100 GMT Wednesday).

Biden is projected to win and secure at least 6 delegates.

Biden continued his Deep South wins in Alabama. His advantage among black voters, who make up much of the state's Democratic electorate, propelled him to a win there.

Vermont

Delegate count: 16

The polls closed at 7 p.m. EST (0000 GMT).

Sanders is projected to win Vermont and secure at least 8 delegates.

Sanders has been elected by the voters of Vermont to represent them in Congress for decades and was expected to win easily there.

California

Delegate count: 415

The polls close at 11 p.m. EST (0400 GMT Wednesday).

California will be one of the most closely watched states on Tuesday. Sanders will look to drive up big margins and amass an unsurmountable lead in delegates. Biden will try to remain close enough to prevent a blowout.

Texas

Delegate count: 228

The polls close at 8 p.m. EST (0100 GMT Wednesday).

Biden is banking on a late surge in Texas, where his campaign has invested most heavily for Super Tuesday. The state's more moderate electorate could boost Biden, although fellow moderate Bloomberg has tried to cut into his advantage there.

Massachusetts

Delegate count: 91

The polls close at 8 p.m. EST (0100 GMT Wednesday).

Elizabeth Warren was once thought to be the favorite in the state she represents in the U.S. Senate. But recent polling shows Sanders statistically tied with her. If Warren cannot win her own state, it could prove to be a death blow to her struggling campaign.

Minnesota

Delegate count: 75

The polls close at 9 p.m. EST (0200 GMT Wednesday).

Senator Amy Klobuchar had been favored to win her home state of Minnesota. But on Monday, she ended her campaign and threw her support behind Biden, who will now hope to turn the moderate Midwestern state into his win column.

Colorado

Delegate count: 67

The polls close at 9 p.m. EST (0200 GMT).

The only two opinion polls conducted in the western state have shown Sanders in the lead. Securing the largest chunk of Colorado's delegates could fuel Sanders' Super Tuesday advantage.

Tennessee

Delegate count: 64

The polls close at 9 p.m. EST (0200 GMT Wednesday), an hour's delay after storms devastated the state in the early morning hours on Tuesday.

With no opinion polls assessing the Democratic primary in Tennessee, campaigns are banking on trying to capture a surprise win there. Bloomberg has invested heavily in time and resources, while Biden again will hope his support among African Americans carries him.

Oklahoma

Delegate count: 37

The polls close at 8 p.m. EST (0100 GMT Wednesday).

Oklahoma is the birthplace of one candidate, Warren, but the traditionally conservative state is seen as more likely to favor a moderate, like Biden or Bloomberg.

Arkansas

Delegate count: 31

The polls close at 8:30 p.m. EST (0130 GMT Wednesday).

Bloomberg made one of his first campaign appearances in Arkansas and has picked up endorsements from elected officials there. But with no opinion polling, the state remains a Super Tuesday mystery and a place Biden will be hoping to pick up delegates.

Utah

Delegate count: 29

The polls close at 10 p.m. EST (0300 GMT Wednesday).

The western state has traditionally been conservative, but liberal pockets in places like Salt Lake City and Park City could prove beneficial to Sanders. Two opinion polls conducted earlier this year found him with a lead.

Maine

Delegate count: 24

The polls close at 8 p.m. EST (0100 GMT Wednesday).

Sanders, who is well known to Maine voters as a senator for nearby Vermont, is the favorite on Tuesday.

Democrats abroad

Delegate count: 13

This new contest allows Democrats living abroad, many of them who relocated permanently or work for the State Department, to have a voice in the nominating contest.

American Samoa

Delegate count: 6

The caucus concluded by 7 pm

Bloomberg is the winner and will secure at least four delegates.

The U.S. Pacific Ocean territory held a single caucus to allocate its delegates.