Tens of millions of Americans are eligible to vote in Tuesday’s primaries and caucuses.
United States Washington:
Americans from 15 states and one territory voted simultaneously on Super Tuesday, a milestone on the campaign calendar expected to put Donald Trump within striking distance of clinching the Republican presidential nomination.
Typically, the event – the biggest day of voting in the country’s lengthy state primary season – is a make-or-break moment for candidates as the field narrows.
On the Republican side, more than one-third of the delegates will compete on March 5 for seats at the July national nominating convention.
But Trump swept all early state primaries despite his legal woes, and Super Tuesday is seen as challenger Nikki Haley upends the former president as the party’s standard-bearer once again process’s last real chance.
There is even less high-stakes drama on the Democratic side, as current President Joe Biden is widely expected to be renominated by his party for the position – and potentially set up a rematch with Trump.
Here are the key elements to watch on Super Tuesday:
millions of people vote
Tens of millions of Americans are eligible to vote on Tuesday in primaries and caucuses, with races taking place from Maine in the northeast to California on the west coast and the remote Pacific territory of American Samoa.
Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont and Virginia are also scheduled to hold Primaries or caucuses.
Alaska’s vote only covers the Republican primary, with the state’s Democrats set to vote in April.
Republicans already held races in Iowa earlier this year, but on Tuesday Democrats will announce the winner of the state’s mail-in voting.
Predictable results?
In years past, Super Tuesday success required a huge ground game, top-notch fundraising and serious momentum.
The race has previously showcased the country’s social and economic diversity, providing candidates with an opportunity to demonstrate their ability to appeal to a broad base of voters from diverse backgrounds and regions.
But Biden’s campaign has been without any real challengers — typical for an incumbent president.
Trump, meanwhile, has defeated his early Republican challengers, leaving only Haley, his former U.N. ambassador.
On the Republican side, 874 delegates were at risk on Tuesday, more than a third of the 2,429 delegates who formally voted for the candidate at the party’s July nominating convention, providing an opening for Trump unless something emerges. Big surprise, otherwise he could have almost sealed a runaway lead. .
With Trump claiming strong support from Republicans, especially in the largest states of California and Texas, his campaign predicts he will win at least 773 delegates on Super Tuesday and about two weeks later Exceeding the magic number needed to get nominated.
Hailey continues to compete
Haley, the former South Carolina governor, had not won a race before her symbolic victory in the Washington, D.C., primary on Sunday night. But she did win 40% of the vote in New Hampshire and South Carolina — a sign, she said, that the party remains divided over Trump. Haley insists she will do better than her opponent in a general election matchup with Biden.
She has previously pledged to stay in the race ahead of Super Tuesday, although another loss could derail her campaign.
Haley argued that most voters were against a “chaotic” rematch between candidates Trump and Biden – who are 77 and 81 years old respectively – and said they were past their prime. .
But analysts believe Haley decided to stay involved in the hunt primarily to prevent Trump from getting into trouble due to other circumstances, such as legal woes or poor health.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
