Intra-Party Competitions in the U.S.; Sanders' Victory in West Virginia

Bernie Sanders has surpassed Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary contests in West Virginia on May 10. Donald Trump, the only remaining candidate for the Republican Party, has also won in the same state and in Nebraska. Trump is currently considered the 'presumptive nominee' of the Republican Party, as his two rivals, Ted Cruz and John Kasich, have withdrawn from the race. Despite Cruz and Kasich's withdrawal, the Republican Party continued with the scheduled voting from 'delegates' in Nebraska and West Virginia. Cruz had previously stated that he might consider returning to the race if Nebraska voters paid attention to him. However, in his interview with Glenn Beck on May 10, he emphasized that the reason for his withdrawal was that he saw no path to victory. In West Virginia, the victories belong to Sanders and Trump. Reuters reports that despite the victory in this state, there is still significantly more hope for Hillary Clinton's ultimate victory in the Democratic contests. Another point that U.S. media have noted is Sanders' victory in a state with a working-class background, known for its abundant mines and its independent voters. The Washington Post states that the competition in West Virginia could have provided Clinton an opportunity to re-establish a relationship with the American 'working class,' although there was a high likelihood that Sanders would win before the voting began. According to Reuters, many workers, including American miners, are unhappy with Clinton's statements in March about the need to shut down coal mines. As a result, there is a possibility that they may side with Trump in a potential final competition between him and Clinton. In recent days, Bernie Sanders has repeatedly emphasized to his supporters that the real competitor in the U.S. presidential election who can definitely defeat Donald Trump is him, not Hillary Clinton. The Atlantic published results from a poll by 'Public Policy Polling' showing that if the presidential election were held right now, Trump would defeat Clinton by 57% to 30% in West Virginia. If the competition were between him and Sanders, he would still win with a result of 56% to 35%.