President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump were winners in Tuesday’s primary in Michigan as both candidates moved closer to securing the nominations of their respective parties.
The Associated Press reported that Biden and Trump would carry the battleground state in their respective races. Michigan is projected to be a crucial locale for the general election in November. The New York Times also projected that Biden and Trump would win their races.
“Uncommitted” votes had garnered approximately 13% of Democratic ballots shortly before midnight and finished second behind Biden. Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., was projected to place third.
Breaking News: President Biden won Michigan's Democratic primary election but faced opposition over his Gaza policy, and Donald Trump easily beat Nikki Haley.
— The New York Times (@nytimes) February 28, 2024
Follow our live Michigan primary updates here. https://t.co/uuKZIGXYK4
Trump locked up more delegates before Super Tuesday next week as he scored a comfortable victory against his lone remaining opponent, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley. He has swept to victory in all five contests he has entered.
Voters had gone to the polls on Tuesday in the Wolverine State, with the possibility that Michigan’s large Arab American community could vote “uncommitted” as Democrats as a way to express their displeasure over Biden’s handling of the war between Israel and Hamas militants on the Gaza Strip, the Times reported.
Under Michigan’s Democratic primary rules, candidates can receive delegates by earning at least 15% of the vote in a specific congressional district, according to the newspaper.
While activist groups urged voters to check the uncommitted box on the ballot, it is not a new concept. In previous uncompetitive presidential primaries, the protest vote typically hovered around 7%, the Times reported.
There were 117 delegates at stake for Democratic candidates in the primary, with an additional 22 unpledged superdelegates, according to CNN.
As for the Republicans, Trump moved closer to securing the party’s nomination. Tuesday’s result determined the apportionment of 16 of the state’s 55 GOP delegates, according to the Times. The other 39 delegates will be allocated during a state party convention on Saturday.
Haley has remained in the race despite losing every head-to-head matchup with Trump so far during this year’s primary season. On Saturday, she gained nearly 40% of the vote in her home state but still lost to Trump by more than 20 points.
On Tuesday, Trump took to the radio in the Detroit area, calling WFDF-AM, the Detroit Free Press reported. Trump also criticized Biden, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain, according to the newspaper.
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