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UPDATED, with first results: As the first polls closed on Super Tuesday, Joe Biden was projected to be the winner of Virginia’s Democratic primary, on a night where he and Donald Trump are expected to solidify the chances of a November general election rematch.
The lingering question is how well Nikki Haley does in the contests and whether it is enough of a showing to continue in her bid for the Republican nomination. Her best performance was expected in Virginia and Vermont, the first two states where polls closed. Networks declared them too early to call.
As Trump’s last remaining rival for the Republican nomination, Haley has tried to draw on disaffected Trump voters as well as some disappointed Democrats, but she has won just one primary, in the District of Columbia.
Some 16 states and one territory are voting: In addition to Virginia and Vermont, they include Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and Utah. A Democratic caucus also is being held in American Samoa. Earlier this evening, Iowa Democrats revealed the results of an all-mail in caucus, with Biden winning more than 90% of the vote.
Networks are devoting extensive resources to Super Tuesday, even though the competitive landscape is much more muted than in cycles past. Major news networks featured countdown clocks to the first polls closing at 7 p.m. ET, with a focus on results in Vermont and Virginia. All three broadcast networks were planning primetime specials devoted to the results. Earlier this evening, CNN and MSNBC released some exit poll information from selected states, including North Carolina and Virginia.
Some of the more suspenseful races will occur down ballot.
In California, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA) and Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), all Democrats, and Republican Steve Garvey were the highest profile candidates vying for a rare open U.S. Senate seat. The top two finishers, regardless of party, will advance to the November election.
Other races on the radar include Schiff’s 30th district congressional seat, where actor Ben Savage was among a field of 15 candidates seeking to advance to the general election. In the race for Porter’s seat, State Sen. Dave Min, a Democrat, is running against attorney Joanna Weiss. The race has been notable because United Democracy Project, a campaign PAC of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, has spent $4.6 million against Min, according to Semafor. On the Republican side, former assemblyman Scott Baugh was the most prominent candidate, having narrowly lost to Porter in 2022.
In the 22nd district, Rep. David Valadao (R-CA), one of two Republicans remaining in the House who voted to impeach Trump, is fighting to hold on to his seat. While he faces a challenge from another Republican, there was the possibility that Democrats will split the vote and be left off the ballot in the general election.
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon faced a crowded field of challengers in his race for reelection. Gascon has been the target of two recall efforts.
