Joe Biden scored decisive primary victories in Michigan and three other US states on Tuesday, taking a big step toward the Democratic Party's presidential nomination and casting doubt on the future of rival Bernie Sanders' fading White House bid.
The sweeping wins put Biden, 77, on a path to face Republican Donald Trump in the November 3 election, and the former vice president quickly began to look ahead, calling for party unity and making an appeal to supporters of Sanders.
"We share a common goal, and together we are going to defeat Donald Trump," Biden said in Philadelphia, thanking Sanders and his supporters for their energy and passion.
Biden's wins in Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi and Idaho were powered by a broad coalition of supporters, including women, African Americans, those with and without college degrees, older voters, union members and all but the very liberal, according to exit polls by Edison Research.
Sanders, 78, scored a victory in North Dakota, while the last state, Washington, remained too close to call on Wednesday morning, according to Edison. But the results narrowed the path forward for Sanders, who had hoped for an upset win in Michigan, which had the lion's share of delegates available on Tuesday, to keep his White House hopes alive.
The loss in a state Sanders had won during his 2016 White House campaign will heighten pressure on the democratic socialist senator to exit the race and help Democrats prepare for a bruising campaign against Trump.
With 99% of precincts reporting, Biden had 53% of the vote in Michigan, well ahead of Sanders' 37%. He won Missouri and Mississippi with 60% and 81% of the vote, respectively.
Sanders, who returned home to Vermont on Tuesday night, did not make a public statement after his losses, a departure from his usual practice on primary nights.
Voters across the states said on Tuesday they trusted Biden more to handle a major crisis by roughly 2-to-1 over Sanders, exit polls showed, a possible sign the fast-spreading coronavirus outbreak helped boost Biden's appeal as a steady and experienced hand.
Both candidates cancelled planned rallies on Tuesday night in response to the outbreak, citing recommendations from public health officials to avoid assembling large indoor crowds.
Biden's campaign also cancelled a Thursday get-out-the-vote event in Florida, one of four states that will hold nominating contests next week. Biden said he would instead deliver an address on Thursday on the US coronavirus response in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware.
"This whole coronavirus is a matter of presidential leadership," said Biden, the former vice president under Barack Obama.
