Victor EzejaFormer United States president, Donald Trump and incumbent, Joe Biden, have won presidential nomination in their respective party primaries held in 15 states across the country on Tuesday.
With Trump, 77, securing the Republican party ticket and his successor, Biden, 82, clinching that of the Democratic Party, both are set for a rematch in the presidential election coming up in November.
Trump’s victory has forced the Indian-American Republican presidential aspirant, Nikki Haley, to quit the race.
Biden’s Victory
While Trump won in 14 of the 15 states, Biden won the contests in 15 states but lost in the territory of American Samoa by 11 votes.
Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and Virginia were all decisively won by the incumbent president. Businessman, Jason Palmer, however, defeated Biden in the territory of American Samoa.
It is said that the territory of American Samoa does not participate in the presidential elections but has a say in the parties’ nominating processes. Biden’s performance in the polls gave him at least 80 per cent.
According to the Associated Press, the only two states where he got less support during Super Tuesday were Minnesota and Oklahoma.
The “Uncommitted” campaign also reared its head with 18.9 percent of Democrats in Minnesota voting along that line, a smilax thing that happened during the primary in Michigan on 27 February when 13.2 percent of voters chose “uncommitted.”
Those spearheading the campaign are protesting the Biden administration’s tacit support for Israel in the ongoing war against Hamas militants that has led to the death of thousands of people in the Gaza Strip.
In a statement, Biden claimed that his opponent in the general election was “driven by grievance and grift, focused on his own revenge and retribution, not the American people” and that he was “determined to destroy our democracy.”
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Trump’s victory
The former president won in Virginia, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and North Carolina.
During his address after emerging victorious, Trump stressed the need for “unity” among Republicans while also lamenting the destiny of the nation should Biden prevail in November.
Haley Quits
Meanwhile, Haley has announced that she had suspended her election campaign. While congratulating Trump, Haley refrained from offering her support.
“The time has now come to suspend my campaign. I said I wanted Americans to have their voices heard. I have done that. I have no regrets,” Haley said on Wednesday in South Carolina. “Although I will no longer be a candidate, I will not stop using my voice for the things I believe in.”
“In all likelihood, Donald Trump will be the Republican nominee when our party convention meets in July. I congratulate him and wish him well. I wish anyone well who would be America’s president. Our country is too precious to let our differences divide us.
“It is now up to Donald Trump to earn the votes of those in our party and beyond it who did not support him. And I hope he does that,” the Indian-American politician said.
Haley, a former governor of South Carolina (2011-2017) and US ambassador to the United Nations, was the first female governor of South Carolina, the first Indian American to serve in a presidential cabinet and the second US governor of Indian descent. She also became the first woman in U.S. history to prevail in a Republican presidential primary after winning in Washington DC on 3 March 2024. She also won primaries in the state of Vermont.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.
