WASHINGTON, D.C. (Nexstar) — Democratic candidates are gearing up for their biggest battle yet: Super Tuesday.
Fourteen states hold primaries on March 3, including the nation’s two most populous states — Texas and California. Texas has 228 delegates alone.
Democratic strategist Paul Bell says a big win in Texas could catapult a candidate to the Democratic nomination for president.
“It’s incredibly important, and you already see candidates that are out there, they’ve been out there for a long time now, Sanders is doing a rally this weekend actually in El Paso,” said Bell.
Anthony Lamorena with the Conservative think-tank “R Street Institute” says former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has made Texas a priority. Bloomberg’s team announced his campaign will host 285 events this weekend in the Lone Star State.
“Michael Bloomberg is really owning the ground he has about 160 paid staffers throughout the state and 17 offices that he has opened,” said Lamorena.
He says Texas is big and expensive, so candidates are forced to make tough decisions as to where to allocate their resources — and the Democrats who aren’t leading the primary polls have shifted their focus elsewhere.
“I think that’s why you’re starting to see Senators Klobuchar, Mayor Pete, struggling to invest in the state and focus on smaller states,” said Lamorena.
Early voting in Texas starts Tuesday.
