Clinton vs. Sanders Race Rolling Toward Montana

As the race for the Democratic presidential nomination heads deeper into spring, some Montana Democrats are wondering if lightning will strike twice.

That’s because for the second time in eight years their party may not have a clear-cut presidential nominee by the time Montana’s June 7 primary rolls around.

The last time that happened was in 2008, when former New York Sen. Hillary Clinton and first-term Sen. Barack Obama brought their campaigns to the Treasure State in the run-up to a historic primary showdown.

While the delegate math this time around heavily favors front-runner and former First Lady Clinton, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, the self-described Democratic Socialist, isn’t throwing in the towel. Sanders has racked up victories in seven of the last primary contests, including recent wins in neighboring Idaho and Wyoming, which could be a signal the Democratic nominating contest will return to big sky country between now and June 7.

Sanders has to win 58 percent of the delegates from here on out to keep up with [Clinton] in the pledged delegate count.

Clinton, meanwhile, will likely focus most of her time and energy on California, which also holds its primary election on June 7. That state will send 546 delegates to the national convention.

As of Tuesday, Clinton has 1,287 pledged delegates to Sanders’ 1,037, but the margin widens when the so-called “super delegates” are factored in.

Those are delegates — usually elected Democratic party officials and other party elders or dignitaries — who can pledge their support at the Democratic National Convention to whichever candidate they choose, regardless of the outcome of their state’s primary.

Counting super delegates, Clinton leads with 1,756 total delegates to Sanders’ 1,068.

Montana Democrats will send 21 pledged delegates and six super delegates to Philadelphia.

Montana’s super delegates are Gov. Steve Bullock, Sen. Jon Tester, party Chairman Jim Larson, party Vice-Chair Jacquie Helt, National Committeewoman Jean Lemire Dahlman, and National Committeeman Jorge Quintana.