As the United States observes the quadrennial tradition of ‘Super Tuesday’, the nation moves closer to determining the candidates who will win their parties’ presidential nominations in the largest-ever contest of 2024. Both incumbents, U.S. President Joe Biden and Donald Trump are vying for a second term in the White House and have secured commanding victories across all states holding Democratic and Republican nominating contests. This sets the stage for an all-but-certain rematch in November of this year. Trump and Biden emerged victorious in delegate-rich states such as California, Texas, Virginia, and North Carolina, the largest prizes among the 16 states. However, they also witnessed familiar signs of potential weaknesses for the general election.
Voters in 16 states and one territory headed to the polls to choose their presidential, gubernatorial, and senatorial candidates as primaries or caucuses were held on Tuesday. On the Republican side, 854 out of 2,429 delegates, more than 35%, were up for grabs, while about 36%, or 1,420 delegates, were in play for Democrats.
Trump secured major victories in Texas, California, Virginia, North Carolina, and Oklahoma, gaining support across all demographics over former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, particularly on issues like the economy and immigration. Trump’s dominance within the Republican Party was highlighted by a significant win in California, securing all 169 delegates. Following the election results, former President Donald Trump celebrated with cheering supporters at Mar-a-Lago in Florida and said, “What an amazing night and an amazing day. They call it Super Tuesday for a reason. This is a big one. They tell me, the pundits and otherwise, that there has never been one like this, never been anything so conclusive.”
However, Haley put up a tough fight in the northeastern state of Vermont’s Republican Primary, denying Trump a clean sweep. Her victory makes her the first Republican woman in history to win two presidential primary elections, following her success in the D.C. Republican race.
Results were more lopsided on the Democratic side, with no candidate besides Joe Biden securing any delegates, despite his low approval ratings in recent months. Only two “uncommitted” delegates were secured, based on the results of a protest campaign in Michigan. Biden maintained a substantial lead over Democratic challengers Dean Phillips and Marianne Williamson. Jason Palmer, an ‘unknown candidate’ from American Samoa, emerged victorious by securing 51 out of 90 ballots. However, his victory is unlikely to cast a shadow over Biden’s path to securing the Democratic nomination, as only six delegates were at stake in the U.S. territory. Biden, aged 81, swiftly secured wins and delivered a sharp rebuke to Trump, referring to him as a threat to American democracy. He said, “Tonight’s results leave the American people with a clear choice: Are we going to keep moving forward or will we allow Donald Trump to drag us backwards into the chaos, division, and darkness that defined his term in office?.” Political experts consider Biden’s renomination a mere formality. He is now preparing to deliver the annual State of the Union address to Congress on March 8, where he is expected to outline his campaign platform before campaigning in the key swing states of Pennsylvania and Georgia.