Bernie Sanders Wins 2016 Hawaii Democratic Caucus, Sweeps West Saturday [UPDATE]

UPDATE 3/27 9:10 a.m. Eastern

With 100 percent of the vote counted, Bernie Sanders had 70 percent of the vote in Hawaii and Hillary Clinton trailed behind with 30 percent of the vote, according to the AP.

UPDATE 3:44AM Eastern

Bernie Sanders made it three for three Saturday, rolling to a big win over Hillary Clinton in Hawaii after already winning in Washington and Alaska in their Democratic presidential caucuses.

With 88 percent of the vote counted, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser had Sanders with 71 percent to Clinton's 29 percent.

Hawaii had 34 delegates at stake - 25 awarded proportionately and nine super delegates.

Democratic officials in Hawaii said that more than 32,000 votes were cast.

Sanders significantly outspent Clinton in the state, overcoming her endorsements from many of the state's elected Democratic officials.

• Democratic Caucus Results: Washington, Hawaii, Alaska
• Alaska Democratic Caucus 2016 Live Results

• Live Democratic Washington Results

Sanders was looking to cap a big day after trouncing Clinton in Washington and Alaska.

Officials there expected at least as large of a turnout as they saw in 2008, when over 35,000 ballots were cast. Hawaii Democratic Party chairwoman Stephanie Ohigashi told the Associated Press the party saw a spike in membership online after the Republican caucus. Most of those new members are said to be Sanders supporters.

After big Sanders victories were recorded in Alaska and Washington, he spoke to supporters in Wisconsin.

"We knew from day one that we were going to have have a politically hard time in the deep South, which is the conservative part of our party," he said. "We also knew things were going to improve as we headed west.

"Well, we are making major inroads into Secretary Clinton's lead, and we have, with your support — coming to Wisconsin – we have a path toward victory."

Similar to Alaska, analysts assumed Sanders would do well in Hawaii, which has relatively small African-American and Hispanic populations that have generally favored Clinton.

In Hawaii, the Sanders campaign spent nearly five times more than Clinton on TV and radio ads. The caucus format works in Sanders favor.

Sanders also had the support of Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who left her position as vice chairman of the Democratic National Committee to endorse Sanders.

Still, a Sanders nomination is a longshot.

To clinch the nomination, a candidate needs 2,383 delegates. Pending Hawaii's outcome, Clinton had 1,234 pledged delegates, and Sanders had 956; toss in Clinton's 469 unpledged delegates, though, to the 28 for Sanders, and Clinton's lead is 1,703 to 985.

With the exception of Michigan, victories for Sanders have come in small states with mostly white populations, and Democratic rules that deliver delegates proportionately mean he would have to not only win in several states now favoring Clinton but he would have to win convincingly.

» Photos by Gage Skidmore via Flickr / Creative Commons