Scripps News and Decision Desk HQ project former President Donald Trump has won the Georgia and Washington Republican presidential primaries, securing enough delegates to earn the Republican nomination in the 2024 presidential race.
Scripps News and Decision Desk HQ also project President Joe Biden has won the Georgia and Washington Democratic presidential primaries, and is projected to have enough delegates to secure the Democratic nomination for president.
President Biden released a statement on becoming the presumptive nominee:
“Voters now have a choice to make about the future of this country," he said. "Are we going to stand up and defend our democracy or let others tear it down? Will we restore the right to choose and protect our freedoms or let extremists take them away? Will we finally make the wealthy pay their fair share in taxes — or will we allow corporate greed to run rampant on the backs of the middle class? I believe that the American people will choose to keep us moving into the future. With every crisis, America has always emerged stronger and more united on the other side. This November will be no different — and I believe we will do it together."
Both President Biden and Trump were poised to surpass 50% of their parties' delegates on Tuesday to secure this year's nominations. Trump's last major opponent for the Republican nomination, Nikki Haley, dropped out of the race last week after she picked up just 94 out of a possible 1,183 delegates.
Meanwhile, Rep. Dean Phillips, who launched a long shot bid for the Democratic nomination late in 2023, dropped out last week after receiving no delegates.
Trump entered Tuesday's primaries with 1,077 delegates. He needs 1,215 delegates to earn the party's nomination at its convention this summer. Trump could end Tuesday with as many as 1,238 delegates, giving him 23 more than what's necessary to win the nomination this summer.
What are the border policy differences between Biden and Trump?
A Gallup poll shows that 28% of Americans agree that immigration is the "most important problem facing this country."
President Biden had 1,861 out of a possible 1,883 delegates, with 19 delegates being uncommitted and three going to entrepreneur Jason Palmer, who won American Samoa's Democratic caucuses.
Florida and Delaware canceled their Democratic presidential primaries because those states do not run uncontested primaries, automatically giving President Biden 242 delegates on top of the 1,619 delegates previously earned.
Before Georgia's tallies were added, President Biden was 107 delegates away from having enough delegates to earn the Democratic nomination. Primaries in Georgia, Mississippi and Washington will offer a total of 235 delegates on Tuesday.
Both parties formalize their nominees at their conventions this summer.
Polling indicates that this year's rematch from the 2020 election could be just as tight. An Emerson College poll showed President Biden and Trump tied at 45%, with 10% of registered voters undecided.
