Bernie Sanders

INDIANAPOLIS — Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders won the Indiana primary in an upset over Hillary Clinton, who had led the Hoosier State in polling.

Sanders led 53 percent to 47 percent, with 92 percent of precincts reporting, according to The Associated Press.

“The past few weeks the corporate media has counted us out this election,” Sanders tweeted. “The political and financial establishment in this country have been vocal in their desire for us to go away, to get in line. Today, Indiana voters had another idea.”

Clinton led state polls by about 7 percentage points before the Tuesday primary. This is not the first time Sanders defied polling to pull off a stunning upset. In Michigan, he trailed by 21 points in polls before winning the state primary.

The surprise win gives Sanders and his supporters a much-needed boost at a time when hope seemed to be fading among even his most hardcore followers.

But despite the victory, Sanders has a lot of work to do to catch Clinton.

The former secretary of State entered the day with 1,645 pledged delegates, to 1,318 for Sanders. Factoring in superdelegates as well, her lead expanded to more than 800 total delegates, according to The Associated Press.

Clinton entered Indiana on a hot streak, having won five of the previous six contests to pad her lead. 

Sanders now needs to convert his Indiana momentum into a string of victories through the June 7 California primary to have any hope of securing the Democratic nomination.