The Super Tuesday is here. Voters across 16 US states and one US territory cast ballots in presidential primaries. It’s a crucial part of the 2024 US presidential election process through which Democrats and Republicans will declare their final presidential nominee. The results are likely to be released starting Wednesdays.
This time, the choice seems to be simple. Both political parties already have clarity over who their nominees will be, as Joe Biden (Democrat leader) and Donald Trump (Republican leader) have cruised through the early voting states.
What is Super Tuesday?
Super Tuesday is the primary election day the most states hold their primaries and caucuses and decide on the bulk of delegates for candidates in their respective parties. Over a third of all the available delegates for both the Republican and Democratic nominations are at stake on Super Tuesday, CBC news explained.
It’s called Super Tuesday because more delegates are at stake on March 5 than on any other single date during the primary campaign.
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As per reports, there are 865 Republican delegates that will be allocated, and the winner of the GOP (Republican Party) presidential nomination must collect 1,215 delegates. On Tuesday, Democratic primaries will allocate a total of 1,420 delegates, and 1,968 delegates are needed to win the Democratic nomination.
Which states vote on Super Tuesday?
Voters will cast their ballots in the Republican presidential primary on Tuesday in these 15 states: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont and Virginia.
All these states except Alaska will hold their Democratic primary contests on Tuesday, the Guardian reported. Meanwhile, the US territory of American Samoa will simultaneously hold its Democratic caucus. It is also the last day for Iowa Democrats to mail in their primary ballots, the report said.
For the unversed, the main voting events — Primaries and Caucuses — help in the selection of delegates who will represent the people at the upcoming conventions. These are simply two ways in which people help states and political parties choose presidential nominees.
What has happened so far?
1. Former US President Donald Trump looks to cement his hold on the Republican presidential nomination with a sweep of Super Tuesday primaries. He aims to deliver a knockout blow on “Super Tuesday” to his lone challenger for the Republican presidential nomination, Nikki Haley, Reuters reported. Another competition to watch could be Utah, whose sizable Mormon population is cool on Trump.
2. Trump or Haley? Trump is likely to approach the crucial 1,215 delegates needed to end the race. Many Super Tuesday states have demographics favouring Trump, and party rules limit non-Republicans’ participation, the Hindustan Times reported.
Trump was leading Haley in every Super Tuesday state where public polling data was available, according to poll tracking website 538. In California and Texas, which together account for more than 300 delegates, Trump was ahead by an average of more than 50 percentage points.
But Haley’s allies see a narrow window of opportunity to eke out a win in states such as Virginia, Massachusetts and Vermont, which have more of the wealthy, college-educated voters who tend to support her candidacy
Trump, the Republican frontrunner with 64% support, according to Reuters/Ipsos polling, has leveraged his unprecedented legal challenges to boost his popularity among his base and raise money. He scored victories in nominating contests in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, South Carolina, Michigan, Missouri and Idaho. He is pushing for his allies to take over the leadership of the Republican National Committee ahead of the party’s July convention.
3. Joe Biden, the Democratic president is all but certain to seal his party’s nomination, despite long-shot challenges from congressman Dean Phillips and self-help author Marianne Williamson, BBC reported. It takes 1,968 delegates to win the Democratic nomination. Biden has already won the support of 206 delegates.
4. Pop sensation Taylor Swift urged her fans to vote on Super Tuesday. Taking to her Instagram story, Swift wrote, “Today, March 5, is the Presidential Primary in Tennessee and 16 other states and territories. I wanted to remind you guys to vote the people who most represent YOU into power. If you haven’t already, make a plan to vote today. Whether you’re in Tennessee or somewhere else in the US, check your polling places and times at vote.org.”
5. One of the country’s most closely watched elections will be in North Carolina, where the race for governor will be a test of Democratic strength in a state whose narrowly divided electorate includes a crush of newcomers.
6. President Joe Biden hit the radio airwaves as he aims to shore up his standing among Black voters, a critical constituency for Democrats in the November general election. In a radio interview that aired on Super Tuesday morning with Ms. Jessica, a radio personality in North Carolina, Biden promoted his achievements for Black voters, such as increased funding for historically Black colleges and universities and key investments in infrastructure to benefit Black communities.
7. The final days before Tuesday demonstrated the unique nature of this year’s campaign. Rather than barnstorming the states holding primaries, Biden and Trump held rival events last week along the U.S.-Mexico border, each seeking to gain an advantage in the increasingly fraught immigration debate.
After the Supreme Court ruled 9-0 on Monday to restore Trump to primary ballots following attempts to ban him for his role in helping spark the Capitol riot, Trump pointed to the 91 criminal counts against him to accuse Biden of weaponizing the courts. “Fight your fight yourself,” Trump said. “Don’t use prosecutors and judges to go after your opponent.”
(With inputs from agencies)
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Vikram Sharma is a globe-trotting journalist with a global perspective on international events. His articles offer readers a global perspective on international events, exploring complex geopolitical issues and providing insights into the world’s most pressing challenges.
