Bernie Sanders Wins Colorado Democratic Caucus

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders won the Democratic caucus in Colorado on Tuesday, defeating Hillary Clinton and giving his flagging presidential campaign a much-needed boost.

Democrats turned up at schools, community centers and public libraries across the state to vote in person. Voters who attend caucuses in the state tend to be more enthusiastic and more progressive than state Democrats overall -- two characteristics that have benefited Sanders in previous contests.

The state has added approximately 30,000 registered Democrats in recent months, some of whom joined the party specifically so they could caucus for Sanders. Caucuses in Colorado are open only to registered party members.

However, with more than 1 million independent voters across the state excluded from the Super Tuesday caucuses, the question of who will win Colorado in November is still very much up in the air.

Both Clinton and Sanders hosted events in the state ahead of Tuesday's caucus. At Colorado State University on Sunday, Sanders addressed a crowd of more than 6,000 people, including many students. Young people have proved to be especially receptive to Sanders' message of economic equality and making education affordable.

Clinton didn't have nearly as much riding on the Super Tuesday outcome in Colorado, but the former secretary of state in recent weeks has dispatched her most effective campaign surrogates, including former President Bill Clinton and actress America Ferrera, to the state.