Trump Wins Michigan Primary, Nears GOP Nomination

Donald Trump emerged victorious in Michigan’s Republican primary, securing his fifth consecutive win and moving closer to clinching the Republican nomination. The former president defeated his rival, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, with a commanding lead of 65.6% to 30.2%, based on early results with about 9% of votes counted. The Associated Press called the race in Trump’s favor shortly after 9:10 p.m. ET.

Before the Michigan primary, Trump had already accumulated 110 total delegates by winning the first four contests in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada. Michigan offers 55 GOP delegates, with 16 allocated proportionally to candidates who secure at least 12.5% of the statewide vote, and the remaining 39 delegates awarded proportionally based on the results in each of the state’s 13 congressional districts or to the candidate who wins the majority of votes in a district.

Trump’s campaign projects that he could surpass the 1,215-delegate threshold needed to secure the Republican nomination as early as March 12. This prediction is based on upcoming primaries in Georgia, Hawaii, Mississippi, and Washington.

In a separate development, President Joe Biden secured victory in the Democratic primary in Michigan, capturing 78.8% of the vote with approximately 13% of votes tallied by 9:10 p.m. ET. Notably, 15.8% of Democratic voters selected “uncommitted” on their ballots, possibly reflecting protest votes over Biden’s handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Looking beyond the primaries, both Biden and Trump have intensified their attacks against each other, as they are widely expected to face off in the November general election. Recent polls indicate a closely contested race between the two candidates. Immigration has emerged as a central issue in the 2024 election cycle, with record-high border crossings during Biden’s presidency and Congress’s failure to agree on new border security measures.

Concerns over Biden’s age, exacerbated by verbal and physical missteps, have also come to the fore. Biden, aged 81, has sought to counter criticisms by highlighting Trump’s recent series of verbal blunders. Meanwhile, Haley has pledged to remain in the race at least until Super Tuesday on March 5, arguing that voters deserve an alternative to what she describes as “grumpy old men” in Trump and Biden.