Trump wins big in California, closes in on Republican nomination
Donald Trump coasted to a big win in California’s Republican presidential primary Tuesday, a victory that inches him closer to winning enough convention delegates to clinch the party’s nomination for president, according to Associated Press projections.
In California’s Democratic primary, President Joe Biden easily won, a victory that also moves him closer to winning his party’s nomination, AP projected.
In the state’s Republican primary, Trump had 79% to Haley’s 18% support with 49% of the votes counted. Haley announced Wednesday morning she was suspending her campaign.
Californians chose 169 Republican convention delegates Tuesday, and Trump was on his way to a sweep. Trump and his backers last year positioned himself to win them all.
The California delegate haul is a huge step toward winning the party’s official nomination, which requires 1,215 delegates.
A total of 854 delegates were chosen in the 16 states and one territory that voted Tuesday, and California’s total is the day’s biggest prize. Next is Texas with 161 delegates.. As of Wednesday morning, Associated Press said he had received a total of 995.
Trump celebrated his big night Tuesday before a gathering of supporters in Palm Beach, Florida. “This has been a day we’ve been waiting for,” he said.
Trump also took a jab at Gov. Gavin Newsom. Without naming him, he said the governors of Arizona and California “aren’t doing anything” to stem illegal immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border. Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs is a Democrat.
Trump’s big delegate win
Trump has been far ahead of his GOP rivals in California. He was backed by 75% of likely voters in Tuesday’s primary, according to a Feb. 22-27 Berkeley-Institute of Governmental Studies poll.
Trump’s support in the state continued to grow throughout the campaign. A year ago, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis led him by 8 percentage points. DeSantis faded and exited the presidential race in January.
Haley never caught on, reaching 11% in January and 15% last month.
Trump swept in every category — ideology, education, gender, for instance.
One-fourth of the GOP voters said they were moderates, and Trump won 59% of that bloc, often regarded as a Haley stronghold.
Trump won 73% of male voters and 72% of women. He won 71% of college graduates and 74% of others.
Ninety-two percent said they’d be satisfied if Trump is the Republican nominee.
Trump’s supporters made sure that a landslide Tuesday would give him an important boost. Last year, the state’s Republican Party changed the rules for awarding delegates. The new rules said anyone who got a simple majority of votes — 50% plus one — got all of the state’s delegates.
Previously, California awarded delegates based on who won each of the state’s congressional districts. It also awarded 13 at-large delegates based on the statewide vote total.
Some Republicans complained the new system essentially silenced pockets of more centrist, anti-Trump Republicans. While no Republican has won a statewide office since 2006, the state has a long tradition of electing center-right GOP candidates to local offices.
Trump still faces a huge task in winning California in the general election. The poll found 64% of Californians viewed him unfavorably, and gave President Joe Biden a 52% to 34% edge in a one on one matchup. If independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is in the race, Biden gets 40%, Trump 28% and Kennedy 11%.
Biden is also close to clinching his party’s nomination, but Associated Press estimated that he is unlikely to lock it up until at least March 19. Democrats have different rules for awarding delegates.
This story was originally published March 5, 2024 at 8:15 PM.
.jpg)