Jewish presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has suffered his first clear defeat in his bid to beat Hillary Clinton to the Democratic Party nomination.

The Vermont Senator became the first Jew to win a US presidential primary when he triumphed in New Hampshire last week, but lost by 5.5 per cent to Mrs Clinton in Nevada on Saturday night.

The votes went in Mrs Clinton’s favour by 52.7 per cent to 47.2 per cent, a much wider margin of victory than in the Iowa caucuses, when the former First Lady beat Sen Sanders by 0.2 per cent.

Sen Sanders remained upbeat, telling supporters after he conceded to Mrs Clinton in Nevada, “five weeks ago, we were 25 points behind in the polls. We've made some real progress.”

He complimented his opponent on an “aggressive, effective campaign” but said he was still in a position to take the Democratic nomination.

“We have come a very long way in nine months. It's clear to me and, I think, to most observers that the wind is at our backs. We have the momentum.

“And I believe that when the Democrats assemble in Philadelphia in July at [the Democratic National Convention], we are going to see the results of one of the great political upsets in the history of the United States.”