Biden dismisses popularity polls, secures impressive victories on Super Tuesday
Voters Head to the Polls for Super Tuesday Showdown
Voters across 16 states and one U.S. territory are heading to the polls on Tuesday for what is set to be the biggest primary election night of the 2024 cycle.
The elections are expected to all but determine who the candidates will be for both Republicans and Democrats, with about one-third of the delegates at stake on Super Tuesday night. Republican candidates former President Donald Trump and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley have 854 delegates up for grabs, with 1,420 in play for Democrats.
Although President Joe Biden is leading his Democratic challengers, he won’t quite meet the 1,215-delegate threshold needed to clinch his party’s nomination by the end of Super Tuesday. The earliest he can be named nominee is March 19, according to projections by the Associated Press.
The top race to watch on Tuesday is the matchup between Trump and Haley as the latter seeks to thwart the former president’s momentum as he looks to secure the GOP nomination. However, the earliest Trump could secure the GOP nomination is March 12, as not enough delegates are at play on Tuesday to put him over the threshold to be the presumptive nominee. Trump is poised to win most, if not all, states up for grabs on Tuesday, which could deal a fatal blow to Haley’s long-shot bid.
All eyes will be on Haley in the aftermath of Super Tuesday to determine whether she’ll drop her campaign.
Here are the races to keep an eye on as polls begin to close at 6 p.m. Eastern time:
North Carolina
President Joe Biden has won the Democratic primary in North Carolina, continuing the president’s Super Tuesday dominance over author Marianne Williamson and Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN). The president has yet to lose a primary contest this election cycle, though many Democratic primary voters and caucusgoers have cast ballots for “uncommitted” as doubts surface regarding his age and handling of Israel’s war in Gaza.
The Associated Press called the race for Biden’s favor at 7:38 p.m., just eight minutes after the polls closed. Biden led with 92.2% of the vote with less than 1% of the vote counted.
Former President Donald Trump is also expected to win the state’s Republican primary over former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, though the race has not yet been called.
Polls closed at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time
Delegates at stake: 116 for Democrats, 74 for Republicans
What to watch: Voters in North Carolina will not only be weighing in on the presidential race but also will have a number of down-ballot races to decide.
The primary for the governor’s race will be held on Tuesday as voters pick which candidates will advance to the November ballot to replace Gov. Roy Cooper (D-NC), who is stepping down due to term limits.
The most high-profile congressional primary is set to take place in North Carolina’s 1st District, which has been transformed into a swing district after the state enacted new congressional maps earlier this year. That puts incumbent Rep. Don Davis (D-NC) in a vulnerable spot as he seeks reelection in November.
Voters also will weigh in on the attorney general’s race, which could feature a head-to-head matchup between Reps. Dan Bishop (R-NC) and Jeff Jackson (D-NC), who both opted not to run for reelection to run for the statewide position. Jackson chose not to run again after the new maps made his district much more favorable to Republicans.
Other races on the ballot are the open seats for retiring Reps. Wiley Nickel (D-NC), Kathy Manning (D-NC), and Patrick McHenry (R-NC).
Check back in for updates.
Virginia
Biden has won the Democratic primary in Virginia, marking the president’s second win of the night against his two challengers. The Associated Press called the race in Biden’s favor at 7:09 p.m., just nine minutes after the polls closed. Biden led with 93.9% of the vote with 1% of the vote counted.
Trump is also projected to have won the GOP primary in Virginia, dealing a possibly fatal blow to Haley’s campaign. With 13% of the vote counted, Trump led Haley 62.6% to 35.2%.
Polls closed at 7 p.m. Eastern time
Delegates at stake: 99 for Democrats, 48 for Republicans
What to watch: Virginia was expected to be Haley’s best shot at making a dent on Trump’s Super Tuesday performance as the state does not have party registration requirements, meaning Democratic voters could opt to vote in the GOP primary instead. Much of Haley’s best performances have come in areas where Democrats have voted for her in the Republican primary.
Check back in for updates.
Vermont
Biden defeated top Democratic challengers Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) and Marianne Williamson in Vermont’s primary Tuesday night. The Associated Press called the race 20 minutes after the polls closed at 7 p.m. ET. Biden won 87.6% of the vote to Phillip’s 3% and Williamson’s 4.8% with 2% of the ballots counted.
The results are unsurprising as Biden has not lost a single primary in the Democratic nominating schedule so far and is on track to win all primaries Tuesday night.
The Republican presidential primary between Trump and Haley in Vermont is too close to call as ballots are being counted. The state remains one of Haley’s best chances to win a primary on Super Tuesday.
Polls closed at 7 p.m. Eastern time
Delegates at stake: 16 for Democrats, 17 for Republicans
What to watch: Because Vermont does not require voters to register by party, turnout could favor Haley if Democrats and independents choose to boost her bid against Trump.
Check back in for updates.
Iowa
Biden won the Iowa caucuses, handily defeating challengers Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) and Marianne Williamson. Only Democrats are voting in Iowa on Tuesday after Republicans held their first-in-the-nation caucuses in January.
The Associated Press called the race in Biden’s favor at 5:50 p.m. Biden led with 90.9% with nearly all the vote counted. Biden won all 40 delegates at stake in the state.
The ballot also featured an “uncommitted” option, which some Democratic voters have used to protest Biden’s policies regarding the Israel war. When the race was called, that option had garnered 3.9% of the vote, ahead of both Phillips and Williamson.
Democrats have been voting by mail in the primary election in a process that started in January after the Democratic National Committee removed Iowa as the first nominating state.
Voting closed at 6 p.m. Eastern time
Delegates at stake: 40
Check back in for updates.
Alabama
Both Democrats and Republicans will cast their ballots in Alabama’s primary on Tuesday.
Voting closed at 8 p.m. Eastern time
Delegates at stake: 52 for Democrats, 50 for Republicans
What to watch: Alabama also will be holding primaries for all of its House races, marking the first election since the state implemented its new congressional map.
One of the most high-profile races will be in the 1st District between Reps. Barry Moore (R-AL) and Jerry Carl (R-AL) after Moore’s hometown in the 2nd District was shifted into Carl’s district under the new maps to meet the requirement of a second majority-black district. Super Tuesday will end one of the representatives’ runs in Congress.
Check back in for updates.
Maine
Both Democrats and Republicans will cast their ballots in Maine’s primary on Tuesday.
Voting closed at 8 p.m. Eastern time
Delegates at stake: 24 for Democrats, 20 for Republicans
What to watch: Maine will be experimenting with ranked choice voting in its primary election this year, by which lower-performing candidates are dropped from results, and their voters’ second choices are added to tabulations until the top candidate surpasses 50% and is declared the winner. Ranked choice ballots offer voters the chance to pick second and third choices.
There also could be some confusion regarding Trump’s ballot status when voters head to the polls on Tuesday. Maine’s secretary of state initially ruled the former president be barred from the ballot, a decision that was nullified by the Supreme Court earlier this week. If that affects turnout, it could mean Haley has an opening in the Pine Tree State.
Check back in for updates.
Massachusetts
Both Democrats and Republicans will cast their ballots in Massachusetts’s primary on Tuesday.
Voting closed at 8 p.m. Eastern time
Delegates at stake: 91 for Democrats, 40 for Republicans
What to watch: Trump could win big in Massachusetts as the state operates by a winner-takes-all system, meaning he could sweep all of the state’s available delegates if he secures over 50% of the vote.
Check back in for updates.
Oklahoma
Both Democrats and Republicans will cast their ballots in Oklahoma’s primary on Tuesday.
Voting closed at 8 p.m. Eastern time
Delegates at stake: 36 for Democrats, 43 for Republicans
What to watch: Oklahoma is expected to be a straightforward primary night as only the presidential races are on the ballot. Republicans will hold a closed primary for only GOP voters, whereas both registered Democrats and independents can vote in the Democratic primary.
Check back in for updates.
Tennessee
Both Democrats and Republicans will cast their ballots in Tennessee’s primary on Tuesday.
Voting closed at 8 p.m. Eastern time
Delegates at stake: 63 for Democrats, 58 for Republicans
What to watch: Trump is expected to pick up Tennessee’s delegates easily, although registered voters are permitted to cast their ballots in either primary — which could give a slight boost to Haley. No congressional or statewide primaries are at stake on Tuesday.
Check back in for updates.
Texas
Both Democrats and Republicans will cast their ballots in Texas’s primary on Tuesday.
Polls close: 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. Eastern time
Delegates at stake: 244 for Democrats, 161 for Republicans
What to watch: One of the most high-profile races of the night is the Senate primary race as Democrats determine who will face Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) in November. Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX) leads a crowded field of Democratic candidates, and a runoff will ensue if no candidate can win at least 50% of the vote.
All other House primaries are being held on Tuesday as well, including those to fill the open seats of Allred and Reps. Kay Granger (R-TX) in the 12th District and Michael Burgess (R-TX) in the 26th District.
Check back in for updates.
Arkansas
Both Democrats and Republicans will cast their ballots in Arkansas’s primary on Tuesday.
Polls close: 8:30 p.m. Eastern time
Delegates at stake: 31 for Democrats, 40 for Republicans
What to watch: The primary elections for Arkansas’s four congressional seats are on the ballot on Tuesday. The most competitive of those is expected to be between Rep. Steve Womack (R-AR), who is facing a challenge from state Sen. Clint Penzo.
Check back in for updates.
Colorado
Both Democrats and Republicans will cast their ballots in Colorado’s primary on Tuesday.
Polls close: 9 p.m. Eastern time
Delegates at stake: 72 for Democrats, 37 for Republicans
What to watch: Trump secured a major win in Colorado earlier this week after the Supreme Court of the United States ruled in favor of the former president to be listed on the ballot. The state Supreme Court had previously ruled he was ineligible.
It’s not yet clear whether that reversal will spur turnout for Trump or if it could result in confusion on his ballot status that could give an opening to Haley.
Check back in for updates.
Minnesota
Both Democrats and Republicans will cast their ballots in Minnesota’s primary on Tuesday.
Polls close: 9 p.m. Eastern time
Delegates at stake: 75 for Democrats, 39 for Republicans
What to watch: Minnesota is the home state of Democratic candidate Dean Phillips, who has failed to make much headway in his primary challenge against Biden thus far. Losing here could result in Phillips dropping out shortly after the race is called.
Check back in for updates.
Utah
Both Democrats and Republicans will cast their ballots in Utah’s primary on Tuesday. Republicans will do theirs through caucuses.
Polls close: 10 p.m. Eastern time for Democrats, 11 p.m. Eastern time for Republicans
Delegates at stake: 30 for Democrats, 40 for Republicans
What to watch: Attendance at GOP caucuses could be affected after a mass text was mistakenly sent to voters saying the caucuses were canceled. The party will host primary preference polls at caucus sites beginning at 9 p.m.
Check back in for updates.
California
Both Democrats and Republicans will cast their ballots in California’s primary on Tuesday.
Polls close: 11 p.m. Eastern time
Delegates at stake: 424 for Democrats, 169 for Republicans
What to watch: California has a lion’s share of the delegates up for grabs for candidates on Tuesday, making the race one of the most closely watched of the evening. Both Biden and Trump are expected to make big gains in their respective primaries.
All eyes will also be on the Senate primary race to replace the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein next year. Three House Democrats are on the ballot: Reps. Adam Schiff (D-CA), Katie Porter (D-CA), and Barbara Lee (D-CA). The two candidates with the most votes will advance to the November ballot.
Check back in for updates.
Alaska
Only Republicans will cast their ballots in Alaska’s caucuses on Tuesday.
Polls close: Midnight Eastern time on Wednesday
Delegates at stake: 29
What to watch: Haley was given a boost in Alaska after Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) endorsed her candidacy last week. Any candidate who garners more than 13% of the vote is eligible for delegates, meaning Haley has some pickup opportunity here.
Check back in for updates.
How does Senator Bernie Sanders’ support base in California impact the outcome of the Democratic primary?
E>
California
Voters in California, the largest state by population, will also be casting their ballots in the primary on Super Tuesday. With a whopping 488 delegates at stake for Democrats and 172 for Republicans, California is a crucial battleground for the candidates. The state has a diverse electorate, making it a significant test for candidates’ appeal across different demographic groups.
Although Biden is leading in the polls in California, Senator Bernie Sanders has a strong support base in the state, particularly among younger and progressive voters. The outcome of the Democratic primary in California could greatly influence the momentum and delegate count for the candidates.
On the Republican side, Trump is expected to win the state’s primary comfortably, as he has overwhelming support among Republican voters. However, it will be interesting to see if any of the other candidates can pose a challenge to Trump’s dominance in certain regions of the state.
Polls in California close at 8 p.m. Pacific time.
Check back for updates.
Additional States and U.S. Territory
Several other states and one U.S. territory are also holding primaries on Super Tuesday, including Utah, Massachusetts, Arkansas, Maine, Tennessee, Alabama, Vermont, Colorado, Texas, North Carolina, and Oklahoma.
These states and territory will contribute a significant number of delegates to both the Democratic and Republican conventions, making them important battlegrounds for the candidates.
Each state has its own unique dynamics and voter demographics, which will shape the outcomes of the primary races. The results from these states will give a clearer picture of the overall delegate count for each candidate and may influence future campaign strategies.
Check back for updates on the primary results in these states.
Super Tuesday is a crucial moment in the primary election process, as it often sets the tone for the rest of the campaign season. The results from these races will determine which candidates have the momentum and support to continue in their pursuit of the presidency.
As voters head to the polls across the country, the stakes are high for both Republicans and Democrats. The primary races on Super Tuesday will shape the trajectory of the 2024 election cycle and ultimately determine who will face off in the general election in November.
Stay tuned for the latest updates as the results roll in, and keep an eye on the candidates’ strategies as they navigate the Super Tuesday showdown.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Now loading...