New York's Closed Primary Could Be Bernie Sanders' Achilles' Heel

 

By Alex Seitz-Wald

New York is the first in a series of upcoming "closed primaries," which allow only registered Democrats to participate - and that could create a major problem for Bernie Sanders.

The Vermont senator is the longest serving independent member of Congress in American history, and independent voters have fueled his success across the country. 

In Wisconsin last week, for instance, Sanders won independents 72 percent to 28 percent, a margin that helped him rout Hillary Clinton in the state. But Sanders and Clinton split registered Democrats exactly evenly, according to NBC News exit polls.

Sanders lost all three primaries held so far this year that barred independent voters, and closed primaries dominate the final eight weeks of the primary calendar. Nine of the remaining 17 contests are closed primaries, including four out of the five biggest (New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey).

In New York, tight laws and early deadlines will compound the challenge for Sanders. 

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Source: NBC News