Sanders, Hillary Face off for 142 Delegates in Washington, Hawaii, Alaska

Local Editor

The Democratic presidential candidates are set to compete for voters' support on Saturday in Alaska, Hawaii, and Washington, where a total 142 delegates will be up for grabs.

Of the three states at stake, Alaska has the smallest number of delegates - only 16 - for three candidates to share. Besides primary candidates, Clinton and Sanders are facing off against a little-known rival - Roque "Rocky" De La Fuente, a California real-estate tycoon.

There will be 42 polling stations throughout the Last Frontier, opening at 2:00 pm local time. Organized as a caucus state, Alaska Democrats will gather in schools, local community centers and homes to debate and arrange themselves in groups, depending on who they support.

According to an Alaska Dispatch News poll, 44 percent of respondents preferred Clinton to Sanders, who was named the favored nominee by 41 percent.

Hawaii is offering a total of 25 delegates, the second largest on Saturday, Voters can begin putting democracy into action at 1:00 pm local time, when polling locations open.

Without sufficient advanced polling to get the pulse of the voters, it is hard to predict who will come out on top, however, just recently, State Representative Kaniela Ing, the state's youngest legislator, endorsed Sanders as "the only candidate willing to walk the talk to get big money out of politics."

Clinton has been hoping ride to victory in the Aloha State on the back of her support for the Native Hawaiian community.

"I support the Native Hawaiian community's ongoing work toward self-determination and nationhood, and their recent adoption of a constitution," Clinton said in a recent statement. "I commend President Obama's leadership in working with Native Hawaiians on the opportunity to establish a government-to-government relationship with the United States."

Washington is the juiciest piece of Saturday's delegate pie. As a caucus state with 101 delegates on the line and 7,000 precincts throughout the state, it could be where Sanders pinches another upset victory, as the News Tribune reports caucus-goers have been showing larger support for Sanders.

Both Clinton and Sanders have been campaigning in the Evergreen State this week, hoping to scoop up the majority of delegates. On Friday, Sanders held his second large rally in Seattle in less than a week.

Overall, after winning Idaho and Utah on Tuesday, Sanders trails Clinton by 303 delegates, having won 920 compared to his rival's 1,223.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team