WASHINGTON, D. C.- Voters in 16 states are heading to the polls or caucusing today to choose their party’s candidates for 2024. The most notable is the Republican presidential primary between Nikki Haley and former President Donald Trump.
There are 865 republican delegates up for grabs in the Super Tuesday election. That’s roughly one-third of total delegates. Either Republican candidate needs 1,215 delegates out of the 2,429 to win the nomination. Trump currently has 276 and Haley has 43. Many experts are keeping an especially close-eye on states that have so-called “winner-take-all” delegates if a candidate receives over 50 percent.
Many of the states that are holding their Republican primaries and caucuses utilize a the winner take all method and that could make it very tricky for Haley to stay in the race, fundraise and campaign. Even if Trump dominates all 15 states he still won’t have the number needed to solidify the nomination. Experts said it looks like its close to being over. Depending on what happens today, they’re not sure if Haley can survive after Super Tuesday.
“Donald Trump doesn’t have enough delegates or won’t have enough delegates after tonight to clinch it, but he might in the next week or two,” said Dr. Todd Belt, professor and director of George Washington University’s political management program. “This could really push him very, very close to that threshold that he needs to secure the nomination at the convention. What might be interesting is to see if Nikki Haley can pull off a state or two to see if she can get some delegates going into the convention To say that she’s the legitimate number two should have something happen to Donald Trump.”
Haley will not be in any of the fifteen states this evening, we’re told she is watching the results from her home in South Carolina. There are several down-ballot races including statewide and congressional primaries in states like North Carolina and California, that can have a real impact.
Experts are also keeping a close eye on voter trends in places like Virginia and Utah that have more traditional Republicans compared to Trump-leaning supporters, to see what Republican enthusiasm will be like come November.
