'Super Tuesday': Trump, Biden projected to win several state primaries
What's the story
United States President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have emerged victorious in all of their respective party contests so far, as ballot counting continues on the crucial US election day—"Super Tuesday." Trump is hoping for a dominant clean sweep of the 15 states and one US territory. Biden, meanwhile, has no serious challengers on the Democratic side.
Context
Why does this story matter?
The trends indicate that Biden and Trump are set for a rematch in the November elections. Trump has been dominating the Republican race, while his main competitor—Nikki Haley—has struggled to keep up. So far, President Biden has encountered minimal issues at primary polling stations. The 2024 US presidential elections are scheduled to be held on November 5.
Results
Trump faces close contest in Vermont
Trump is expected to win in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia, as projected till 9:30pm (local time) on Tuesday. Biden was also predicted to win in the same states, plus Utah and Vermont in addition to the Iowa caucus. In Vermont, Trump is running a close contest with Haley, his last remaining Republican challenger.
Exit polls
Economy, immigration key concerns of several Republican voters
CBS News exit polls on Tuesday indicated immigration and the economy as key concerns for North Carolina and Virginia Republicans. These issues have been consistently raised by voters throughout the campaign. Additionally, a majority in these states support Trump's claim that Biden's 2020 election victory was not legitimate.
Defection
Possibility of defections from supporters
Political observers are keeping an eye on whether either Biden or Trump will face significant defections from supporters on "Super Tuesday." Over 100,000 Democrats unhappy with Biden's policy toward Israel and Gaza voted "uncommitted" during Michigan's primary last week. On the Republican side, many anti-Trump voters have rallied behind Haley, who served as Trump's UN ambassador when he was in the White House.