2016 United States presidential election

==== Primaries ====
{{Main|2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries}}

Former secretary of state [[Hillary Clinton]], who also served in the U.S. Senate and was the [[First Lady of the United States]], became the first Democrat in the field to formally launch a major candidacy for the presidency with an announcement on April 12, 2015, via a video message.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2015/04/10/398729582/hillary-clinton-expected-to-go-small-with-big-announcement |title=Hillary Clinton Expected To Go Small With Big Announcement |date=April 10, 2015 |publisher=[[NPR]] |last2=Montanar |first2=Domenico |last1=Keith |first1=Tamara |access-date=April 12, 2015}}</ref> While [[Nationwide opinion polling for the Democratic Party 2016 presidential primaries|nationwide opinion polls]] in 2015 indicated that Clinton was the [[front-runner]] for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination, she faced strong challenges from Independent Senator [[Bernie Sanders]] of Vermont,<ref name="Sanders leading">{{cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/news/politics/2015/08/25/second-straight-poll-shows-bernie-sanders-leading-new-hampshire/F1MfDFGZAYZPHLV22upEwM/story.html |title=Second straight poll shows Bernie Sanders leading in New Hampshire |work=[[The Boston Globe]] |access-date=August 26, 2015}}</ref> who became the second major candidate when he formally announced on April 30, 2015, that he was running for the Democratic nomination.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/29/politics/bernie-sanders-announces-presidential-run/ |title=Bernie Sanders is running for president |date=April 30, 2015 |publisher=[[CNN]] |last1=Merica |first1=Dan |access-date=July 6, 2015}}</ref> September 2015 polling numbers indicated a narrowing gap between Clinton and Sanders.<ref name="Sanders leading"/><ref>{{cite news |url=https://huffingtonpost.com/entry/bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton-new-hampshire-poll_55dc947ce4b08cd3359d5f80 |title=Bernie Sanders surpasses Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire polls |date=August 25, 2015 |work=[[HuffPost]] |access-date=August 25, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://elections.huffingtonpost.com/pollster/2016-national-democratic-primary |title=Huffpost Pollster |date=October 1, 2015 |work=[[HuffPost]] |access-date=October 1, 2015 |archive-date=October 1, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151001000953/http://elections.huffingtonpost.com/pollster/2016-national-democratic-primary |url-status=dead }}</ref> On May 30, 2015, former [[Governor of Maryland]] [[Martin O'Malley]] was the third major candidate to enter the Democratic primary race,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2015/05/30/martin-omalley-president-announcement/27330857/ |title=Martin O'Malley jumps into presidential race |date=May 30, 2015 |work=[[USA Today]] |last2=Cooper |first2=Allen |access-date=May 30, 2015 |last1=Jackson |first1=David}}</ref> followed by former independent governor and Republican senator of Rhode Island [[Lincoln Chafee]] on June 3, 2015,<ref name="DelReal, Jose A">{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2015/06/03/lincoln-chafee-expected-to-announce-longshot-presidential-bid/ |title=Lincoln Chafee announces long-shot presidential bid |date=June 3, 2015 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=June 3, 2015 |author=DelReal, Jose A.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.bostonherald.com/news_opinion/us_politics/2015/06/rhode_islands_chafee_enters_2016_democratic_contest |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20160208062305/http://www.bostonherald.com/news_opinion/us_politics/2015/06/launching_16_bid_chafee_refuses_to_rule_out_talks_with_is |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 8, 2016 |title=Rhode Island's Chafee enters 2016 Democratic contest |date=June 3, 2015 |work=[[Boston Herald]] |agency=Associated Press |access-date=June 3, 2015}}</ref> former Virginia senator [[Jim Webb]] on July 2, 2015,<ref name="Announces">{{cite web |url=https://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/run-2016/2015/07/02/jim-webb-announces-for-president |title=Jim Webb Announces For President |date=July 2, 2015 |work=[[U.S. News & World Report]] |access-date=July 2, 2015 |author=Catanese, David |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150703113357/http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/run-2016/2015/07/02/jim-webb-announces-for-president |archive-date=July 3, 2015 }}</ref> and former Harvard law professor [[Lawrence Lessig]] on September 6, 2015.<ref name="Lessig running">{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2015/09/lawrence-lessig-2016-presidential-run-213376 |title=Lessig: I'm running for president |date=September 6, 2015 |work=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]] |access-date=September 7, 2015 |author=Meyer, Theodoric}}</ref>

On October 20, 2015, Webb announced his withdrawal from the primaries, and explored a potential Independent run.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2015/10/jim-webb-democrats-independent-214929 |title=Jim Webb to consider running as an independent |website=[[Politico]] |date=October 19, 2015 |access-date=October 25, 2015}}</ref> The next day Vice President [[Joe Biden]] decided not to run, ending months of speculation, stating, "While I will not be a candidate, I will not be silent."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://onpolitics.usatoday.com/2015/10/21/biden-to-make-announcement-about-plans/ |title=Biden says he's not running in 2016 |website=OnPolitics |access-date=October 25, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/joe-biden-running-president/story?id=34338816 |title=Joe Biden Not Running for President |date=October 21, 2015 |work=[[ABC News]] |access-date=October 25, 2015}}</ref> On October 23, Chafee withdrew, stating that he hoped for "an end to the endless wars and the beginning of a new era for the United States and humanity."<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/10/23/chafee-ends-democratic-bid-for-president/ |title=Lincoln Chafee ends Democratic bid for president |last1=Wagner |first1=John |date=October 23, 2015 |last2=Weigel |first2=David |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |issn=0190-8286|access-date=October 25, 2015}}</ref> On November 2, after failing to qualify for the second DNC-sanctioned debate after adoption of a rule change negated polls which before might have necessitated his inclusion in the debate, Lessig withdrew as well, narrowing the field to Clinton, O'Malley, and Sanders.<ref name="outofrace">{{cite web |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2015/11/lawrence-lessig-drops-out-215443 |title=Lessig drops out of presidential race |date=November 2, 2015 |work=[[Politico]] |access-date=November 2, 2015 |author=Strauss, Daniel}}</ref>

On February 1, 2016, in an extremely close contest, Clinton won the [[Iowa Democratic caucuses, 2016|Iowa caucuses]] by a margin of 0.2 points over Sanders. After winning no delegates in Iowa, O'Malley withdrew from the presidential race that day. On February 9, Sanders bounced back to win the [[New Hampshire Democratic primary, 2016|New Hampshire primary]] with 60% of the vote. In the remaining two February contests, Clinton won the [[Nevada Democratic caucuses, 2016|Nevada caucuses]] with 53% of the vote and scored a decisive victory in the [[2016 South Carolina Democratic primary|South Carolina primary]] with 73% of the vote.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/elections/results/nevada |title=Nevada Caucus Results |website=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=February 28, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/elections/results/south-carolina |title=South Carolina Primary Results |website=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=February 28, 2016}}</ref> On March 1, eleven states participated in the first of four "[[Super Tuesday]]" primaries. Clinton won Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia and 504 pledged delegates, while Sanders won [[Colorado]], Minnesota, [[Oklahoma]], and his home state of Vermont and 340 delegates. The following weekend, Sanders won victories in [[2016 Kansas Democratic caucuses|Kansas]], [[2016 Nebraska Democratic caucuses|Nebraska]], and [[2016 Maine Democratic caucuses|Maine]] with 15- to 30-point margins, while Clinton won the [[2016 Louisiana Democratic primary|Louisiana primary]] with 71% of the vote. On March 8, despite never having a lead in the [[2016 Michigan Democratic primary|Michigan primary]], Sanders won by a small margin of 1.5 points and outperforming polls by over 19 points, while Clinton won 83% of the vote in [[2016 Mississippi Democratic primary|Mississippi]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/why-the-polls-missed-bernie-sanders-michigan-upset/ |title=Why The Polls Missed Bernie Sanders's Michigan Upset |date=March 9, 2016 |website=[[FiveThirtyEight]]|access-date=May 1, 2016}}</ref> On March 15, the second "Super Tuesday", Clinton won in [[2016 Florida Democratic primary|Florida]], [[2016 Illinois Democratic primary|Illinois]], [[2016 Missouri Democratic primary|Missouri]], [[2016 North Carolina Democratic primary|North Carolina]], and [[Ohio Democratic primary, 2016|Ohio]]. Between March 22 and April 9, Sanders won six caucuses in [[2016 Idaho Democratic caucuses|Idaho]], [[2016 Utah Democratic caucuses|Utah]], [[2016 Alaska Democratic caucuses|Alaska]], [[2016 Hawaii Democratic caucuses|Hawaii]], [[2016 Washington Democratic caucuses|Washington]], and [[2016 Wyoming Democratic caucuses|Wyoming]], as well as the [[2016 Wisconsin Democratic primary|Wisconsin primary]], while Clinton won the [[2016 Arizona Democratic primary|Arizona primary]]. On April 19, Clinton won the [[2016 New York Democratic primary|New York primary]] with 58% of the vote. On April 26, in the third "Super Tuesday" dubbed the "Acela primary", she won contests in [[2016 Connecticut Democratic primary|Connecticut]], [[2016 Delaware Democratic primary|Delaware]], [[2016 Maryland Democratic primary|Maryland]], and [[2016 Pennsylvania Democratic primary|Pennsylvania]], while Sanders won in [[2016 Rhode Island Democratic primary|Rhode Island]]. Over the course of May, Sanders accomplished another surprise win in the [[2016 Indiana Democratic primary|Indiana primary]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/may/03/bernie-sanders-wins-indiana-democratic-primary |title=Bernie Sanders pulls off shock victory over Hillary Clinton in Indiana |last1=Roberts |first1=Dan |last2=Jacobs |first2=Ben |date=May 4, 2016 |website=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=May 4, 2016}}</ref> and also won in [[2016 West Virginia Democratic primary|West Virginia]] and [[2016 Oregon Democratic primary|Oregon]], while Clinton won the [[2016 Guam Democratic caucus|Guam caucus]] and [[2016 Kentucky Democratic primary|Kentucky primary]] (and also non-binding primaries in Nebraska and Washington).

On June 4 and 5, Clinton won two victories in the [[2016 United States Virgin Islands Democratic caucuses|Virgin Islands caucus]] and [[2016 Puerto Rico Democratic caucuses|Puerto Rico primary]]. On June 6, 2016, the [[Associated Press]] and [[NBC News]] reported that Clinton had become the [[presumptive nominee]] after reaching the required number of delegates, including pledged delegates and [[superdelegate]]s, to secure the nomination, becoming the [[List of American women's firsts|first woman]] to ever clinch the presidential nomination of a major U.S. political party.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://msnbc.com/msnbc/clinton-hits-magic-number-delegates-clinch-nomination/ |title=Clinton hits 'magic number' of delegates to clinch nomination |last=Dann |first=Carrie |date=June 6, 2016 |work=[[NBC News]]|access-date=June 7, 2016}}</ref> On June 7, Clinton secured a majority of pledged delegates after winning primaries in [[2016 California Democratic primary|California]], [[2016 New Jersey Democratic primary|New Jersey]], [[2016 New Mexico Democratic primary|New Mexico]], and [[2016 South Dakota Democratic primary|South Dakota]], while Sanders won only [[2016 Montana Democratic primary|Montana]] and [[2016 North Dakota Democratic caucuses|North Dakota]]. Clinton also won the final primary in the [[2016 United States presidential election in the District of Columbia|District of Columbia]] on June 14. At the conclusion of the primary process, Clinton had won 2,204 pledged delegates (54% of the total) awarded by the primary elections and caucuses, while Sanders had won 1,847 (46%). Out of the 714 [[List of superdelegates at the 2016 Democratic National Convention|unpledged delegates or "superdelegates"]] who were set to vote in the [[2016 Democratic National Convention|convention in July]], Clinton received endorsements from 560 (78%), while Sanders received 47 (7%).<ref name=":0">{{cite web |url=http://www.thegreenpapers.com/P16/D |title=Democratic Convention 2016 |publisher=thegreenpapers.com|access-date=May 14, 2016}}</ref>

Although Sanders had not formally dropped out of the race, he announced on June 16, 2016, that his main goal in the coming months would be to work with Clinton to defeat Trump in the general election.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-sanders-idUSKCN0Z305E |title=Sanders vows to help Clinton beat Trump, but keeps campaign alive |date=June 17, 2016 |newspaper=[[Reuters]]|access-date=June 20, 2016}}</ref> On July 8, appointees from the Clinton campaign, the Sanders campaign, and the Democratic National Committee negotiated a draft of the party's platform.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/political-pulse/os-democratic-platform-orlando-story.html |title=Sanders backers frustrated by defeats at Orlando platform meeting |newspaper=[[Orlando Sentinel]]|access-date=July 25, 2016}}</ref> On July 12, Sanders formally endorsed Clinton at a rally in New Hampshire in which he appeared with her.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://huffingtonpost.com/entry/bernie-sanders-endorses-hillary-clinton_us_56e98f60e4b0b25c91841bdd |title=Bernie Sanders Endorses Hillary Clinton For President |date=July 12, 2016 |work=[[HuffPost]] |last1=Reily |first1=Molly |access-date=July 13, 2016}}</ref> Sanders then went on to headline 39 campaign rallies on behalf of Clinton in 13 key states.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/30/politics/bernie-sanders-umbrage-clinton-2016/index.html|title=Bernie Sanders takes 'umbrage' when audience member says he didn't support Hillary Clinton in 2016|first=Annie |last=Grayer|website=[[CNN]]|date=May 30, 2019|access-date=2020-04-10}}</ref>