House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D., S.C.) said the Democratic National Committee should end the primary process and discontinue debates if Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) does not win one of Tuesday's primary or caucus states.
"I think when the night is over, Joe Biden will be the prohibitive favorite to win the Democratic nomination," Clyburn told NPR on Tuesday night. "Quite frankly, if the night ends the way it has begun, I think it is time for us to shut this primary down, it is time for us to cancel the rest of these debates. Because you don’t do anything but get yourself in trouble if you continue in this contest when it’s obvious that the numbers will not shake out for you."
Clyburn's statement matches the behavior of Biden’s own team seeking to limit his media exposure at a time where the former vice president is prone to make gaffes during debates and in front of cameras.
As of this writing, Biden swept Michigan, Mississippi, and Missouri, the first three contests Tuesday. Among states too early to call, Biden is winning in Washington and Idaho and trails only in North Dakota, which has the fewest delegates of the six.
Ahead of South Carolina's primary, Clyburn endorsed Biden for president, which propelled his campaign there and in the crucial Super Tuesday states.