Former US Vice President Joe Biden will wake up this morning as the unexpected victor of Super Tuesday.

The  spectacularly geeky evening  saw 14 states – plus American Samoa – vote for which candidate they want to take on Donald Trump in the 2020 US election.

And not even an awkward moment where Joe appeared to mix up his wife and his sister was enough to rain on his parade.

It seems the apparent ability to give President Trump a proper fight was a key reason US Democrats voted for Joe.

The early exit polls suggested the ability to defeat Trump was more of a factor in people’s decision than whether the person they voted for shared their views on the issues.

That’s quite an extraordinary statement on how hated Donald Trump is in much of America.

For all of the packed rallies and bluster about his being a man of the people, for the vast majority of his time in office Trump has enjoyed the worst approval ratings of any sitting President since records began.

And in his only electoral test since he set up camp in the Oval Office, 2018’s midterm elections, he got a bruising.

For America’s enormous middle-class, the choice is between an avuncular father-figure, who evokes feelings of warmth and safety despite occasionally forgetting to finish his sentences and a spiky, energetic (for his age) figure who promises a full on revolution.

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  Joe Biden mixes up his wife and his sister after strong Super Tuesday result

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  Super Tuesday: Resurgent Joe Biden now favourite for Democratic nomination

Elsewhere in the race, Elizabeth Warren, who seems perfectly competent, but only scraped third place in her own home state last night – remains on the ballot.

But the $234 million Michael Bloomberg spent on advertising in the run up to Super Tuesday now looks like the biggest waste of money since the tuition fees at Trump University.

At the time of writing the billionaire media mogul was “considering the future” of his campaign – and was determined not to be the guy who “helped Sanders become the nominee”.

For now, presented with the risk of another four years of Donald Trump, it looks Democrats in Super Tuesday states have decided not to let the great be the enemy of the good.

But there’s still a long way to go in the primary election – and it could still culminate in a bitter, messy floor-fight at the Democratic convention where the final winner will be decided.

And we got a preview of that in Bernie Sanders’ victory speech to supporters in Vermont – where he ruthlessly tore strips off his rival.

Whoever wins the race to be the Democratic candidate, they’re going to find themselves going into November’s Presidential election bruised and dented.

Today's agenda:

10am – Environment Secretary George Eustice at the Lords fisheries committee

12noon – PMQs

What I am reading:

The Independent's Tom Peck's sketch of Boris Johnson's coronavirus advice session

If you want to get in touch my email is  [email protected]  and you can follow me  @mikeysmith  on Twitter.

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