Recap of Presidential Nominating Contests and Delegate Counts for March 12th
On March 13, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump secured their respective parties’ nominations, setting the stage for the first U.S. presidential election rematch in nearly 70 years. Trump, the sole remaining Republican candidate, amassed the 1,215 delegates required to secure the Republican nomination, as no serious challengers emerged in the Republican race across the four states of Georgia, Hawaii, Mississippi, and Washington. On the Democratic side, Biden faced little opposition and secured his party’s nomination after Tuesday’s primaries, garnering the necessary 1,968 delegates.
Here’s a breakdown of the states and delegate counts from Tuesday’s nominating contests:
Georgia:
- Biden won the Democratic primary, while Trump secured victory in the Republican primary.
- Democratic delegate count: 108
- Republican delegate count: 59
- Georgia is anticipated to be a pivotal battleground state in the upcoming general election, having been narrowly won by Biden in 2020 after Trump carried it in 2016. Recent polls suggest Trump holds a slight advantage over Biden for their anticipated rematch in 2024. Legal proceedings are ongoing in Georgia, with Trump and co-defendants pleading not guilty to charges related to allegedly pressuring state officials to overturn the 2020 election results.
Mississippi:
- Biden emerged victorious in the Democratic primary, while Trump triumphed in the Republican primary.
- Democratic delegate count: 35
- Republican delegate count: 40
- Mississippi, a conservative Southern state, has consistently leaned towards Trump, with recent polls showing him leading Biden by a significant margin. Trump’s early primary endorsements from key Republican figures in the state bolstered his position.
Washington:
- Both Biden and Trump won their respective party primaries in Washington.
- Democratic delegate count: 92
- Republican delegate count: 43
- In January, a judge ruled in favor of Trump’s inclusion on Washington’s Republican presidential primary ballot despite efforts to disqualify him based on his actions following the 2020 election. Biden comfortably defeated Trump in Washington in 2020 and maintains a lead in polling for their anticipated rematch in 2024.
Hawaii:
- Trump secured victory in the Republican caucuses.
- Republican delegate count: 19
- Biden overwhelmingly won Hawaii in the 2020 election, reflecting the state’s strong Democratic leanings historically. Despite Trump’s win in the Republican caucuses, Hawaiians have predominantly favored Democratic candidates in presidential elections.
In summary, the outcomes of Tuesday’s nominating contests solidified Biden and Trump as their parties’ respective nominees, setting the stage for a highly anticipated rematch in the 2024 presidential election.
