Hillary and Sanders

Democrat candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders each picked up primary wins on Tuesday in yet another demonstration of how divided the party is in the drawn-out national race to win the nomination for November’s general election.

Clinton narrowly defeated Sanders in Kentucky, a state where she was not expected to win. Sanders bested her in Oregon, a state that played to his strengths.

In Kentucky, the two candidates split the 55 delegates up for grabs. In Oregon, Sanders will take only a handful more of the 61 delegates that were awarded. Clinton now has 2291 in pledged and super delegates, while Sanders has 1528.

Clinton’s sizeable lead in delegates means it is likely she will eventually be her party’s nominee, but she remains less than 100 delegates short of sealing the deal. The Democratic primary now hits a two-week lull, with the final set major contests, including California, scheduled for June 7.

Clinton, who spent the past two days campaigning in Kentucky, would like to lock up the nomination and turn her attention to the Nov. 8 general election and presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump.

NEVADA STILL RANKLES

Sanders supporters became angry when Nevada state party officials chose to end their convention and block efforts to award the U.S. senator from Vermont more delegates than he initially won in the February caucus. Clinton won the caucus.

The Nevada incident was a warning about the potential for fireworks at July’s Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

Clinton’s campaign continued to express confidence that she would be able to unify the party.

Clinton’s campaign continued to express confidence that she would be able to unify the party.

“Hillary Clinton is grateful to the thousands of Nevadans who came out to participate in the caucuses and convention process,” Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook said.

“She believes every voice should be heard and no one should be intimidated, harassed or threatened in this process. When the primary process is complete, our party must come together and ensure a Democrat is elected to serve as our next president,” Mook said.

Sanders on Tuesday joined his supporters in criticising the Nevada Democratic Party after Saturday’s events.

One Sanders supporter threw a chair, unhappy about being blocked in a rules vote that was part of the effort to help the senator win more delegates to the national convention. Others drew chalk graffiti on a party building, while the state’s party chairwoman has been receiving death threats.