North Dakota caucus result: Bernie Sanders claims consolation victory after Biden dominates 'Big Tuesday'

Former vice president saw wins to cement his formidable lead in the race

(AFP via Getty Images)

Bernie Sanders has won the North Dakota caucuses, marking his first win over Joe Biden after voters in six states voted on Tuesday.

The race was called on Wednesday morning, hours after voters went to their caucus locations in the midwestern state.

Mr Sanders, whose campaign has floundered in recent weeks as the former vice president has energized a diverse coalition in a surprising comeback across the country, was also leading in the Washington primary on Wednesday as votes continued to be tallied in the state that has a heavy focus on mail-in ballots.

Mr Biden, meanwhile, won the contests in Idaho, Michigan, Missouri and Mississippi.

The former vice president's domination on Tuesday came just a week after Super Tuesday, when voters across the South and elsewhere rallied behind the candidate and shot him into a lead among delegates in the primary.

And, those votes came just days after Mr Biden appeared to revive his campaign with a win in the South Carolina primary — his first win in the 2020 race, as well as his first across three runs for president dating back to the 1980s.

Now, after Mr Sanders seemed poised to become the dominant force in the 2020 race, the Vermont senator is facing an uncertain and quickly narrowing path to the democratic nomination.

With Mr Biden beating Mr Sanders by wide margins in states like Michigan — predominantly white states with big union populations — it is unclear whether Mr Sanders can continue to make the argument that he is the best poised candidate to take on Donald Trump in November among disaffected white voters who have largely been credited with the presidents upset victory nearly four years ago.

The next states to vote in the primary process will be Florida, Illinois, Ohio and Arizona, and Mr Biden is favoured to win a majority of delegates from each of those contests.