Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump reacts at a primary election night party at the South Carolina State Fairgrounds in Columbia, S.C., Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
- Former President Donald Trump is cruising toward winning the Republican Party’s Presidential nomination for a third time, with the necessary 1,215 delegates in sight.
Over the weekend, former President Donald Trump easily won another Republican Primary on his way to becoming the party’s 2024 presidential nominee for a third time despite his ongoing legal troubles in New York, Georgia, Florida and Washington D.C.
Trump bested Nikki Haley in her home state of South Carolina where she served two terms as Governor before becoming the former President’s pick for U.N. Ambassador.
Trump’s double-digit win on Saturday allowed him to pick up all but three delegates in South Carolina, bringing his total GOP delegate count to 110 after previously winning the caucuses or primaries in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and the Virgin Islands.
Haley, the only contender left on the Republican side, has vowed to fight on into Super Tuesday on March 5th. She is currently sitting at 20 delegates.
To win the Republican nomination, a candidate needs to reach 1,215.
Haley faces an uphill battle over the next two weeks, with an outright win in even one of the upcoming state primaries growing more unlikely by the day.
Michigan, Idaho, Missouri, Washington D.C. and North Dakota are holding their caucuces or primaries between now and Super Tuesday.
Trump is favored to win in every state from here on out. His campaign believes he could secure the delegates he needs to win the Republican nomination by no later than March 19th.
What’s at Stake on Super Tuesday?
On Tuesday, March 5th, 16 contests – 15 states and 1 territory – accounting for over 850 delegates are at stake. The states voting on Super Tuesday are:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Minnesota
- North Carolina
- Oklahoma
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- American Samoa
Trump was originally banned from the ballot in Colorado after a state Supreme Court ruling removed him from the primary using Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, otherwise referred to as the “insurrection clause.” However, Trump appealed that ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court and Colorado placed his name back on the ballot, pending a decision at the federal level which could come any day.
A similar scenario played out in Maine, where the Secretary of State removed Trump from the GOP ballot but after an appeal was filed in the state’s Superior Court, he was placed back on the ballot pending court review.
Importance of March 12th
March 12th is the soonest any candidate could reach the necessary 1,215 of the 2,429 delegates to clinch the Republican nomination.
Mississippi is among the states voting on March 12th, with Trump heavily favored among Magnolia State Republican voters. In fact, both of the state’s U.S. Senators, its three GOP Congressmen, and every statewide elected official, other than Secretary of State Michael Watson, have endorsed Trump. Watson’s office is tasked with overseeing Mississippi elections.
RELATED: Mississippi Republican leaders rally behind Trump ahead of March Primary
Mississippi has 39 delegates up from grabs.
Other states voting on March 12th include Georgia, Hawaii and Washington with a combined 121 delegates in play.
Veepstakes Heating Up
The Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC, wrapped up this weekend, and to no one’s surprise, a straw poll of those in attendance picked Trump as the GOP nominee.
But the most intriguing part of the gathering was who attendees selected as their preference for Trump’s running mate.
Coming in tied at the top of the straw poll for a possible Vice President candidate was businessman Vivek Ramaswamy and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem. Both received 15% in the poll.
In third place with 9% was former Democratic Congresswomen from Hawaii turned Independent Tulsi Gabbard.
South Carolina U.S. Senator Tim Scott and New York Congresswoman Elise Stefanik tied for fourth at 8%.
Others receiving votes in the CPAC veepstakes polling were:
- Florida Congressman Byron Donalds
- Arizona U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake
- Florida Governor Ron DeSantis
- Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders
- Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson
Whoever Trump selects as this running mate will have a leg up on the presidential nomination in 2028 as the former President is term limited and can only serve for four more years.
Frank Corder
