For those of you who vote strategically (i.e. – if your first-choice candidate “can’t win”, then instead of voting for your first-choice candidate, you instead vote for a less-choice candidate that may have a greater chance of winning.) Note that this type of strategy is only beneficial in a winner-take-all situation. Such rules may be applicable in the November election (although I personally discourage this practice), since most states (NE, ME excepted) allocate their electoral votes based on the state-wide popular-vote winner.
However, in the primaries, most delegates are awarded proportionally – and often by Congressional District. For example, in tomorrow’s New Hampshire Primary, there are seven delegates awarded proportionally to the candidates in each of New Hampshire’s two congressional districts. An additional eight delegates are awarded proportionally to the candidates based on the state-wide primary vote totals. A minimum of only 15% is required to receive delegates. So, a candidate receiving 23% state-wide and in each congressional district would receive five delegates out of 22 total. You should think of the primaries, not like the general election, but more like the Tour-de-France. A contestant need not win any states to obtain the nomination.
The Tour-de-France analogy is excellent!
It’s importent to remember that precedent only works so far, there has never been a Democrat primary race quite like this, and probably never will be again.