WASHINGTON - Joe Biden moved a giant step closer to a November showdown with Donald Trump after notching up big primary wins Tuesday over Bernie Sanders, his sole remaining challenger for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Biden, 77, the centrist former vice president, scored a resounding win in Michigan, where Sanders, 78, the leftist senator from Vermont, had hoped to make a stand.
He also cruised to victory in Missouri, Idaho and Mississippi, three of the other five states to vote on Tuesday.
Addressing supporters in Philadelphia as his victory took shape, Biden struck a presidential tone as he declared on national television that he would lead "a comeback for the soul of this nation."
"Tonight we're a step closer to restoring decency, dignity and honor to the White House," he said.
Biden reached out to his sometimes bitter rival Sanders and his supporters, telling them "we share a common goal."
"Together we'll defeat Donald Trump," he said.
Biden's huge victory in Mississippi, where he won around 80 percent of the vote, reflected his popularity among strategically vital African-American voters. He defeated Sanders by 25 points in Missouri.
His win in Michigan, the Midwestern industrial state which could be a key battleground in November, was a major setback for Sanders, who narrowly beat Hillary Clinton there four years ago.
"I'm not taking your gun away," he said in the encounter, which Trump backers pointed to as evidence of Biden's inability to stand pressure -- but his own supporters saw as a show of mettle. (AFP)