After Nevada and Bernie Sanders’ win, what next for the rest of the Democrat field?

The other candidates will be feeling the pressure after the latest contest, writes Chris Stevenson

Left to right: Pete Buttigieg, Elizabeth Warren and Joe Biden (Reuters)

So Bernie Sanders has won three Democratic Party nomination contests in a row – what now for the rest of the field?

The simple answer is that everyone moves on to the next primary in South Carolina, and beyond that the “Super Tuesday” collection of states on 3 March. But the truth is that every campaign bar Sanders’ will be feeling the pressure.

Biden has made clear that South Carolina is his campaign’s firewall. Second in Nevada is better than he has been doing, but he has trumpeted his support among black voters – he needs a solid win in the next state to give him the momentum he requires on “Super Tuesday”.

Pete Buttigieg looks likely to finish third in Nevada, which maintains his position in the race but offers him little new momentum. His trouble is that as the major centrist candidates as it stands, Buttigieg and Biden are splitting the vote and giving Sanders more space. Biden is polling at around double Buttigieg’s numbers in South Carolina and so the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, may come under pressure – depending on the next few results – to let Biden be the centrist candidate if Buttigieg can’t keep pace.

Both Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar picked up some momentum in the final days before the Nevada vote – with Warren having a particularly strong debate performance – but they failed to translate that into votes on Saturday. Klobuchar especially will face increasing pressure to drop out having marketed herself as a moderate in the nomination race. Warren has the name recognition and plenty of new campaign contributors in the wake of the latest debate – but she needs wins, and fast.

The real unknowns in the race are the two billionaires, Tom Steyer and Michael Bloomberg. Steyer has pockets of support in South Carolina and has been polling in third place. That would put him on the map, but is unclear whether he would be able to push for delegates anywhere else. Bloomberg has the cash – having spent more than $400m (£309m) of his own money to have a TV presence in all 14 “Super Tuesday” states – but has yet to appear on the ballot. His disastrous debate performance will not have helped his cause though.

Biden is desperate for a win in South Carolina, while Buttigieg, Warren and Klobuchar will be hoping for better-than-expected performances given their relatively poor polling in the state. Then it is onto “Super Tuesday” which includes the populous states of Texas and California.

Many, including Bloomberg, have bet on those polls in early March keeping them in the race – only time will tell if the gamble pays off.