President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump emerged victorious in statewide nominating contests across the country on Tuesday, setting the stage for a historic rematch in November's general election despite facing low approval ratings, Reuters reported.
Trump secured the Republican votes in a dozen states, including delegate-rich California and Texas, effectively sidelining his only remaining rival, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who no longer has a viable path to the nomination. Haley managed to secure a victory in Vermont, according to projections from Edison Research.
Following a dominant performance across 15 states where more than one-third of Republican delegates were up for grabs on Super Tuesday, Trump all but secured his third consecutive presidential nomination, despite facing a litany of criminal charges.
Both Trump and Biden immediately turned their focus on each other as the results became clear. In a victory speech at his Mar-A-Lago estate in Florida, Trump criticized Biden's immigration policies and labeled him the "worst president" in history. However, data on migrant crime does not support Trump's assertion.
Meanwhile, Biden positioned Trump as a threat to American democracy, stating in a response, "Tonight's results leave the American people with a clear choice: Are we going to keep moving forward or will we allow Donald Trump to drag us backward into the chaos, division, and darkness that defined his term in office?"
Biden was expected to secure the Democratic contests, though faced a protest vote in Minnesota organized by activists opposed to his strong support of Israel, which garnered unexpectedly strong results.
The rematch between Trump, 77, and Biden, 81, marks the first repeat U.S. presidential matchup since 1956. However, opinion polls show both candidates have low approval ratings among voters, suggesting a lack of enthusiasm for another round of their campaigns.
Immigration and the economy were leading concerns for Republican voters, with a majority in California, North Carolina, and Virginia supporting the deportation of illegal immigrants. Trump, who has frequently criticized migrants, has promised to mount the largest deportation effort in U.S. history if re-elected.
Tuesday's results are likely to increase pressure on Haley to drop out of the race, as she did not make a public appearance on Tuesday, and her campaign has not scheduled any events going forward.
The electoral contests also featured down-ticket races, including in California, where Democratic U.S. Representative Adam Schiff, known for leading Trump's first impeachment trial, advanced to the general election to succeed the late Democratic U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein. In North Carolina, Trump-endorsed Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson secured the Republican nomination for governor and will face Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein in a closely watched race.
Pop megastar Taylor Swift encouraged her fans to vote on Instagram, though she did not endorse specific candidates. Biden's campaign is hopeful Swift will eventually back his candidacy, as she did in 2020.
Haley's challenge to Trump has highlighted some of his potential general election vulnerabilities, as she has performed well among independent, well-educated, and suburban voters who could play a crucial role in battleground states in November.
About one-third of North Carolina voters expressed concerns about Trump's fitness to serve as president if convicted of a crime, while a majority in Virginia believed he would still be fit for office if convicted.
Trump is scheduled to begin his first criminal trial on March 25 in New York, where he is charged with falsifying business records to conceal hush money payments to a porn star during his 2016 presidential run. Additionally, he faces separate federal and Georgia state charges for election interference, though it remains uncertain if either case will reach trial before the Nov. 5 election. Trump has pleaded not guilty in all four criminal cases.
Biden also faces challenges, including widespread concern about his age, as he is already the oldest U.S. president in history.
Reporting by Nathan Layne in Palm Beach, Florida, and Alexandra Ulmer in Huntington Beach, California; Additional reporting by Gram Slattery in Fort Worth, Texas, Tim Reid in Washington and Nandita Bose in Minneapolis; Writing by Joseph Ax; Editing by Ross Colvin, Alistair Bell, and Howard Goller.
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