President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump won Democratic and Republican primaries on Tuesday in several states that mark the final battlegrounds on the 2024 primary calendar.
Appearing on the ballot for the first time since his felony conviction, Trump won primaries in New Mexico, where voters could choose a rival who had already dropped out, and in Montana and New Jersey, where he had no opponents.
Biden won the Democratic primaries in New Mexico, South Dakota, New Jersey, Montana and Washington, DC.
Republicans in Washington held their party-run primary in March. South Dakota canceled its Republican presidential primary because it had no candidate challenging Trump.
Voters also vote in primary elections for federal, state and local offices in these states.
Trump and Biden, as the last major candidates still standing, were expected to win all of Tuesday's races comfortably, but polls show many Americans say they don't want a rematch of the 2020 election, and Tuesday's results highlighted voters' concerns about their choice as the November election approaches.
Trump's landslide victory in the Republican primary was also overshadowed by the support of a minority of Republican voters for former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley, who withdrew from the race in March. Tuesday's election was Haley's first since saying two weeks ago that she would vote for Trump in November's election.
In New Mexico, where Haley was still running, thousands of voters cast ballots for her, but as of late Tuesday she received less than 10% of the vote.
Former President Donald Trump was found guilty Thursday of all 34 felony counts in his criminal trial in which he was accused of covering up hush money payments he made to adult film star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign.
Biden has faced protest votes in recent elections as Democrats unhappy with his handling of the Israeli-Hamas war seek to express their opposition. On Tuesday, organized campaigns were taking place in several states to vote “independent” in Democratic elections. In New Jersey's primary, many counties plan to write the word “independent” on their ballots above the phrase “Justice for Palestine! Permanent Ceasefire Now!”
As of Tuesday night, more than 35,000 New Jerseyans had voted “independent.”
After Tuesday, Democrats plan to hold two more caucuses on June 8 in Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands to conclude their 2024 primary calendar.
Republicans in Washington held their party-run primary in March. South Dakota canceled its Republican presidential primary because it had no candidate challenging Trump.
Meanwhile, voters also cast ballots Tuesday in primaries for federal, state and local offices in those states.
Former Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy has won the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in Montana. With the support of President Trump and national Republican leaders, Sheehy will challenge Democratic Senator Jon Tester in what is expected to be one of the most competitive races to determine control of the Senate.
In New Jersey, Rep. Andy Kim has won the Democratic nomination to run for the seat held by scandal-plagued Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez, who is on trial in New York on federal corruption charges. Menendez decided not to run in the primary. He filed paperwork on Monday to run in the general election as an independent.
On the Republican side, businessman Curtis Bashaw won, defeating Mendham Borough President Christine Serrano Glassner, who was appointed by President Trump.
Herb Conaway defeated four Democratic candidates in the primary for the state's 3rd Congressional District, which Kim holds and is expected to remain Democratic in November.
Menendez's son, first-term Congressman Rob Menendez, overcame a tough challenge against Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bara in the primary for New Jersey's 8th Congressional District.
In New Mexico, Democrats hold all three congressional seats, but there was only one primary in the 1st District. Republicans Louis Sanchez and Steve Jones are running against incumbent Rep. Melanie Stansberry in the Democratic-leaning Albuquerque-based district.
In Washington, voters were holding a primary to choose the city's non-voting delegate for the House of Representatives. In Iowa, where the presidential election began in January with the nation's first caucuses, voters will choose candidates in primaries for local and congressional races, including one that could play a key role in determining control of the House of Representatives.
Democrats in the Des Moines-area 3rd Congressional District were selecting a candidate to challenge first-term Republican U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn, who narrowly defeated the incumbent Democrat in the 2022 election.
