JOE BIDEN SEIZED the key battleground state of Michigan in the Democratic presidential primary to deal a blow to rival Bernie Sanders.

Michigan was the state that helped to propel Sanders’ campaign four years ago but Biden took the honours there, as well as Missouri and Mississippi to give his campaign a shot in the arm.

Biden, as he did on so-called Super Tuesday, showed strength with working-class voters and African Americans, who are vital to winning the Democratic nomination.

Sanders’ hopes rested on states where far fewer delegates were at stake, Idaho, North Dakota and Washington state, whose primary was too early to call late on Tuesday.

Tuesday marked the first time voters weighed in on the primary since it effectively narrowed to a two-person race between Sanders and Biden.

The first three large states easily went to Biden, a dramatic reversal for a campaign that appeared on the brink of collapse just two weeks ago.

Now it is Sanders, whose candidacy was ascendant so recently, who must contemplate a path forward.

Addressing supporters in Philadelphia, Biden noted that many had “declared that this candidacy was dead” only days ago but “now we’re very much alive”.

He also made a plea for supporters of Mr Sanders to change camps.

He said: “We need you, we want you, and there’s a place in our campaign for each of you.

“I want to thank Bernie Sanders and his supporters for their tireless energy and their passion.

“We share a common goal, and together we’ll beat Donald Trump.”