Former President Trump had a clear victory in the “Super Tuesday” primaries and will probably not be caught again in two weeks at the latest. Although Haley achieved a respectable victory with a win in Vermont, Trump won in the other 14 states where voting took place. The formal appointment takes place in the summer, the election itself in November.
Haley refrained from making a formal statement — an “endorsement” — to Trump during a brief appearance in his home state of South Carolina on Wednesday. Instead, she advised him to reach out to moderate Republicans and independent voters as well. “It is now up to Donald Trump to win the votes of those in our party and others who did not support him. And I hope he does,” she said. “At its best, politics is about winning people to your cause, not rejecting them.”
APA/AFP/Joseph Prezioso Despite the many defeats, Haley held out for an unexpectedly long time in the fight for candidacy
Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell announced his support for Trump on Wednesday. It is absolutely clear that the former president has the necessary support from Republican voters to run for office. The archconservative McConnell has long been considered one of the most important people running US politics. Although Trump has publicly insulted him regularly in the past, McConnell has stayed true to his line. McConnell has recently made headlines with health problems – the 82-year-old plans to resign from his top job in the US Senate in November.
Biden's age makes him vulnerable
For Democrats, the current Biden won on “Super Tuesday” and is considered the top seed. He and Trump took shots at each other before the final results were even available. “November 5th will go down as the most important day in the history of our country,” Trump said in his victory speech, calling Biden the worst president of all time. Biden responded with a statement portraying Trump as a threat to democracy.
It is the first time since 1956 (Dwight D. Eisenhower against Democrat Adlai Stevenson, note) that there will be a new presidential duel in the USA. The population is not very enthusiastic about this. Both men have low poll numbers, in part because of their age: Trump is 77, Biden is 81.
Especially with Biden, who is already the oldest US president in history, his age is a big problem due to his recurring mistakes and mix-ups – although Trump also repeatedly makes such mishaps. However, Biden recently had his doctor confirm that he is still fit for office. In this sense, it is difficult to imagine that he will not run – unless he experiences a serious health crisis.
Trump is fighting the law
With Trump, it is less his age than the allegations against him that pose risks to him. He has been charged four times in criminal cases, including for his role in the storming of the Capitol and his other attempts to later overturn his election defeat against Biden in 2020.
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What are the consequences of Trump's trials?
However, the conservative-dominated US Supreme Court gave Trump a reprieve by considering, at his request, whether he enjoys immunity from criminal prosecution for actions taken during his presidency. This leads to a delay at least in the proceedings before a US federal court regarding allegations of election manipulation. If Trump is convicted before the election, he could continue to run for president.
Portal/Loren Elliott The Republican and Democratic primaries run until early June
As was the case four years ago, the vote will likely fall to a few states – the “swing states” – due to the comparatively complicated electoral process. Close results are expected in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, but also in the elections as a whole. The most important issues of the election campaign are illegal immigration and the economy. This also emerged Tuesday from polls following the primary election.
Warning signs for both sides
Despite the clear success of Biden and Trump, the Super Tuesday results also contain warning signs for both. The fact that Haley not only won Vermont, but also polled double digits in other states, suggests there is dissatisfaction among the party's moderate base regarding her renewed candidacy.
Biden, in turn, must look with concern at the left wing of his party, where there is frustration with its solidarity with Israel in the Gaza war and with its increasingly tough course on migration policy. Even before “Super Tuesday”, the president had learned a lesson in the state of Michigan, when more than 100 thousand voters refused to support him, choosing the “neutral” option. There were also higher numbers of such de facto abstentions in some states on Tuesday.
Recruit Haley Supporters
Immediately after Haley's withdrawal, both candidates attempted to recruit their supporters. “Donald Trump has made it clear that he does not want supporters of Nikki Haley. “I want to be clear: There is a place for her in my campaign,” Biden said. Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that he would like to “invite all Haley supporters to join the greatest movement in our nation’s history” and called Biden an enemy who is destroying the country.