Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (2024)

Table of Contents
What we covered here Biden and Trump clinch delegates and head toward November rematch. Catch up on what to know Analysis: A historically long general election is upon us Analysis: Biden has shelved the age issue for now — but Trump isn't ready to let it go Trump reacts to securing enough delegates to win GOP nomination: "This was a great day of victory" Analysis: How Biden hopes to recapture voters scarred by inflation CNN Projection: Biden will win Washington state’s Democratic primary CNN Projection: Trump will win Washington's primaryand secure enough delegates for GOP nomination It's 11 p.m. ET and polls are closing across Washington state Harris previews 2024 election talking points as she celebrates Biden clinching the nomination Trump had a strong night in Georgia — but he still has weaknesses in the suburbs "Could there be two worse options?": Some Georgia voters consider not going to the polls in November Republican National Committee, now under Trump control, will add new lawyers to focus on election integrity CNN Projection: Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker will win Republican primary How delegates select nominees at conventions CNN Projection: Rep. Mike Ezell will win GOP primary for Mississippi’s 4th District Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says he's chosen a running mate and will announce his decision within 2 weeks Polls are closing next in Washington. Here are key things to know about the state's political landscape DNC chair and convention chair celebrate Biden clinching Democratic nomination Biden secures enough delegates as Trump closes in on GOP nomination. Here's where things stand Biden says he's honored to become presumptive nominee as he looks ahead to November election CNN Projection: Trump will win Mississippi’s GOP primary as he moves closer to party nomination CNN Projection: Biden will win Mississippi’s Democratic primary It's 8 p.m. ET and polls are closing in Mississippi Georgia giving Biden the Democratic nomination is cherry on top for his campaign, officials say Why Biden and Trump's performance in Georgia's primary will be closely watched CNN Projection: Trump will win Georgia’s GOP primaryas he inches closer to party nomination CNN Projection: Biden will win Georgia’s primary and secure enough delegates for Democratic nomination Biden to tout infrastructure funding in Wisconsin as he seeks to sell second term to voters in battleground state It's 7 p.m. ET and polls are closing across Georgia. Here's what you should know about this key state Here's how many delegates Trump and Biden have won so far — and how many they need to clinch their nominations Bidenshifted to a general election posture as he rallied supporters in New Hampshire yesterday Biden’s annual budget hits populist economic themes as the general election campaign continues to heat up Trump is juggling a busy legal and election calendar Georgia is a relatively new battleground state in presidential politics and a national focal point since 2020 Biden campaign anticipates president will clinch nomination hours after Hur testimony Here's how many GOP delegates are at stake in every 2024 primary contest Analysis: Trump's notable policy shifts on social security and TikTok this week Biden and Trump kicked off their rematch this weekend with dueling Georgia visits Analysis: Why it will be tough for Biden to defeat Trump There are headwinds for Trump in Georgia – many of his own making Federal judge approves Trump's bond in civil defamation case with E. Jean Carroll Georgia judge says he could rule this week on whether to remove Fani Willis from Trump election case Georgia's Kemp says he will support GOP nominee in November because Trump is "better than Joe Biden" 2 Supreme Court justices urge Americans to tone down political rhetoric despite charged atmosphere Trump is appearing on the Washington primary ballot after a state judge dismissed a 14th Amendment lawsuit Analysis: Biden's State of the Union wasn't a game changer Gen Z congressman warns that TikTok ban bill won’t help Biden rally young voters Biden campaign feeling good about Hur testimony, official says Rep. Ken Buck to leave Congress before the end of his term, another blow to the GOP majority Biden and Teamsters talk Social Security and Medicare as president courts endorsement Biden is visiting multiple battleground states as he ramps up campaign effort Republicans dominate Mississippi elections — there is just one Democratic member of Congress GOP member complains about Republicans targeting each other in primaries as tensions grow As primaries get underway across the country, here's what's happening on the Hill Biden and Trump could secure enough delegates today to clinch their parties' respective nominations These are the primary contests happening today Here's how primaries work Teamstersunion not expected to endorse Biden today A presidential election year comes with a lot of jargon. CNN explains some political terms frequently used CNN Projection: Joe Biden wins the Northern Mariana Islands Analysis: Biden projected a vision of strength in his State of the Union address last week References

By Aditi Sangal, Elise Hammond, Jack Forrest and Maureen Chowdhury, CNN

Updated 12:45 AM EDT, Wed March 13, 2024

Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (3)

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What we covered here

  • Biden and Trump clinch nominations:President Joe Biden andformer President Donald Trumphave earned enough delegates to wintheir parties’ presidential nominations, CNN projects, and are headed for a November rematch. Neither will officially become the nominee until the national conventionsvote this summer.
  • Voting in four states:The candidatesreached the delegate thresholdafter winning primaries in Georgia, Mississippi and Washington. Hawaii’s GOP caucuses were also held. The candidates werepaying particularly close attentionto Georgia for signs of how voters in the battleground state respond to campaign efforts.
  • Trump vs. Biden:Their long-anticipated rematch is broadly expected to mirror the 2020 campaign, though Trump is running this time while facing four criminal cases. In statements Tuesday night, both candidates celebrated clinching their nominations —and slammed each other as they looked ahead to the general election.

Our live coverage has ended. Read more about today’s primaries in the posts below.

61 Posts

Biden and Trump clinch delegates and head toward November rematch. Catch up on what to know

From CNN staff
Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (4)

Former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden.

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump both secured enough delegates to become their parties’ presumptive nominees for president, setting up a rematch in November’s general election.

Biden reached the magic number with an allocation of delegates from Georgia —a battleground state that was crucial in his 2020 general election victory. And Trump secured the GOP nomination after winning Washington state’s primary.

Here’s where CNN has projected winners so far:

  • Biden will win the Democratic primaries in Georgia, Mississippi and Washington state.
  • Trump will win the Republican primaries in Georgia, Mississippi and Washington state.

Results still outstanding: Hawaii Republicans are holding caucuses which will end at 2 a.m. ET. Voting is also wrapping up tonight in the primary for Democrats Abroad, the official arm of the Democratic Party for Americans living overseas.

Biden looks to rematch: The president said in a statement that he is honored to become his party’s presumptive nominee. He warned that “freedom and democracy” are at risk and that Trump poses a threat to America as he turns his attention to the general election. “Voters now have a choice to make about the future of our country,” Biden said.

Trump slams Biden:The former president slammed his opponent in a video posted on social media after becoming the presumptive GOP nominee and said now “we have to get to work to beat Joe Biden.” He emphasized the importance of the election in November, telling his supporters that “this vote is going to be the most important vote you’ve ever cast.”

But there’s a long road ahead: The 2024 matchup will be tied for the longest general election campaign in the past half-century. GOP challenger Nikki Haley dropped her primary bid with 244 days to go until the November election. The 2004 general election between Republican incumbent George W. Bush and Democratic challenger John Kerry also began 244 days before Election Day, according to aPew Research Center analysis.

Here’s a look at the latest delegate count:

Democrat:

  • Biden: 2,099 (The president needed 1,968 to become the Democratic presumptive nominee)
  • Uncommitted: 20
  • Jason Palmer: 3

Republican:

  • Trump: 1,228 (The former president needed at least 1,215 delegates to win the GOP nomination)

Remember: Neither Trump nor Biden will officially become the nominee until the national conventions vote this summer.

Analysis: A historically long general election is upon us

From CNN’s Harry Enten

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump clinched enough delegates in Tuesday’s nominating contests to officially become their parties’ presumptive presidential nominees.

For all intents and purposes, though, the general election campaign began a week ago after Republican Nikki Haley dropped out of the GOP race, leaving Trump without any major challengers. Biden has only faced token opposition in the Democratic primary.

This means that the 2024 matchup between Biden and Trump — which a lot of Americans don’t want any part of — will be tied for the longest general election campaign in the past half-century.

Haley dropped her primary bid with 244 days to go until the November election. The 2004 general election between Republican incumbent George W. Bush and Democratic challenger John Kerry also began 244 days before Election Day, according to aPew Research Center analysis. The 2000 general election between Bush and Democrat Al Gore started a slightly fewer 243 days before the election.

These eight-month campaigns were far longer than the average length of a general election campaign since 1972 — which is less than six months.

The big difference between the 2000 and 2004 marathons and this year is that a lot of voters liked their choices in those years. Bush and Gore each finished the campaign with more people liking than disliking them. In 2004, most voters liked at least either Bush or Kerry.

This year is anything but that. The latestABC News/Ipsos polldrives home the point. Nearly one-third of adults (30%) said that neither Trump nor Biden would do a better job leading America. This is in line with past polling that has shown that both Biden and Trump have significantly higher unfavorable ratings than favorable ratings.

Analysis: Biden has shelved the age issue for now — but Trump isn't ready to let it go

From CNN's Stephen Collinson

Not even presidents can reverse time, so there’s only so muchJoe Bidencan do to defuse one of his top general election liabilities – his advanced age.

But Biden, 81, appears to be in far better shape on this question than he was a week ago – and not just because he charged past the magic number of convention delegates needed toclinch the 2024 Democratic nominationon Tuesday evening.

The president’svigorous State of the Union addresshas partly reset the political narrative and is still delivering dividends. The prime-time look at Biden in his element, dominating the stage, offered a robust counter-image to the one Americans have sometimes seen – of a bewildered statesman who cited phone chats with dead European leaders and confused Mexico and Egypt in a news conference meant to fix the age issue.

However, one person not ready to let the age issue go is former President Donald Trump, who himself is 77. He put out a video of Biden stumbling on the steps of Air Force One and falling off his bike, seeking to revive his long-term narrative about his rival. The former president’s focus on Biden’s age reflects the fact that one good week will not change a harsh reality of the coming eight months. Any sign of fragility on the campaign trail will revive doubts over Biden’s ability not just to serve but to beat Trump when he’s underwater in multiple swing states and on key electoral issues.

Biden has implicitly acknowledged this will continue to be a vulnerability. In an ad released over the weekend, he said, “I’m not a young guy, that’s no secret. But here’s the deal, I understand how to get things done for the American people.”Biden’s supporters often complain that there is a double standard on age since Trump is not far behind Biden in years. But the ex-president’s bombast and bluster tends to undercut that criticism – something the Biden camp acknowledges by sometimes implicitly arguing that while the president is old, he’s not a wild threat to the rule of law and the Constitution like his predecessor.

Read the full analysis on this moment in Biden’s campaign.

Trump reacts to securing enough delegates to win GOP nomination: "This was a great day of victory"

From CNN's Rashard Rose

Former President Donald Trumpcelebrated earning enough delegates to secure the Republican presidential nomination, callingTuesdaya “great day of victory.”

Trump reached the 1,215 delegates necessary with an allocation of delegates from Washington state.

“We’re not going to take time to celebrate. We’ll celebrate ineightmonths when the election is over.November 5, I believe, will go down as the most important day in the history of our country,” Trump continuedin avideo postedby his campaign on X.

Trump will be officially nominated at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee this July.

Trump also touched on some of his usual campaign issues including immigration and energy production.

Analysis: How Biden hopes to recapture voters scarred by inflation

From CNN's Ronald Brownstein

AsPresident Joe Bidenbarnstorms battleground states this week, he is framing the debate withformer President Donald Trumparound themes of economic populism that Democrats have employed, often with success, for decades. But Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, may prove to be a more elusive target for those arguments than a typical GOP candidate.

Biden is portraying himself as committedto standing up for average Americans against powerful interests and the wealthy. But polls consistently show that significantly more Americans, including substantialnumbers of Black and Hispanic voters, believe they personally benefited from Trump’s policies than Biden’s.

That sentiment risks bluntingBiden’s populist arguments: even if he can convince voters that Trump’s policies helped the rich and corporations the most, they may not mind as much if they believe that they also benefited more under Trump than they have under Biden.

For Biden – who spent Tuesdaymeeting with Teamsters leadersand is headed to Wisconsin and Michigan the next two days – the critical question may be whether voters’ support for key ideas in his policy agenda can outweigh their frustration with their lived economic experience during his presidency. “You are really hitting on the crux of what a lot of swing votes will be [weighing] going into the election,” said Democratic pollsterDanielle Deiseroth.

Biden has plenty of ammunition to mount a traditional populist case against Trump. The former president’s principal legislative accomplishment was a massive tax cut thatprovided most of its direct benefits to corporations and the most affluent.Trump came within one Senate vote of repealing the Affordable Care Act, which has significantly increased health care coverage for lower-income working Americans.

Keep reading about how Biden is looking to recapture voters.

CNN Projection: Biden will win Washington state’s Democratic primary

From CNN staff

President Joe Biden will win the Washington state Democratic primary, CNN projects.

There were 92 Democratic delegates at stake in the primary.

Earlier this evening, Bidenearned enough delegatesto secure the Democratic presidential nomination with an allocation of delegates from Georgia, CNN projects.

Remember:It takes 1,968 of 3,934 delegates to win the Democratic nomination. Biden will officially be nominated at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this August.

CNN Projection: Trump will win Washington's primaryand secure enough delegates for GOP nomination

From CNN staff

Former President Donald Trump has earned enough delegates to secure the Republican presidential nomination, according to a projection from the CNN Decision Desk.

Trump reached the 1,215 delegates necessary with an allocation of delegates from Washington state.

Trump will be officially nominated at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee this July.

It's 11 p.m. ET and polls are closing across Washington state

From CNN's Ethan Cohen and Molly English
Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (5)

An election worker sorts through vote-by-mail ballots on Tuesday in Vancouver, Washington.

Polls have now closed in Washington state, where open primaries allow registered voters to participate in either contest.

Republicans have 43 delegates at stake and Democrats have 92.

Washington has become a stronghold for Democrats. Democratic support in the state is largely centralized in the high-tech, progressive hubs of Seattle and the surrounding King County area. Republicans run best in the more sparsely populated and rural parts of the state. The battle for control is usually fought in the outlying Seattle suburbs

The state’s 2022 midterm elections painted a difficult picture for the state’s GOP organization. Democratic Sen. Patty Murray won reelection with 57.1% of the vote and Democrats flipped a House seat, giving the state eight Democratic members of the House and Republicans only two.

Harris previews 2024 election talking points as she celebrates Biden clinching the nomination

From CNN's DJ Judd
Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (6)

Vice President Kamala Harris waves to supporters at the start of a campaign rally at Reelworks in Denver, Colorado, on Tuesday.

Vice President Kamala Harris celebrated Joe Biden securing the delegates needed to clinch his party’s nomination on Tuesday and forecasted how the president’s campaign will look to take the fight to Donald Trump in the general election.

Harris hit Trump over his role in overturning of Roe v. Wade, his signaling Monday to CNBC that Social Security and Medicare could be cut and his past praise for autocrats.

“Now, the general election truly begins, and the contrast could not be clearer. Donald Trump is a threat to our democracy and our fundamental freedoms,” she added.

Earlier this evening, Biden said he is honored to become his party’s presumptive nominee and warned of another Trump presidency.

Trump had a strong night in Georgia — but he still has weaknesses in the suburbs

From CNN Staff
Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (7)

Former President Donald Trump addresses a campaign rally at the Forum River Center March 9, in Rome, Georgia.

Former President Donald Trump will win the Georgia primary, CNN has projected. However, as the numbers come in, the suburban areas of the Peach State look worrisome for the Republican presidential candidate.

While Trump is expected to win by a big margin, it is notable that Nikki Haley — his longest rival in the primary season whohas now dropped out— is still winning a significant share of votes in the Peach State.

More specifically, earlier in the night, Haley was taking 35% of the vote in Chatham County, which lies on Georgia’s shared border with her home state of South Carolina. The county, that has a big African American base in Savannah, voted Democratic in 2020.

Muscogee County is another area of Georgia to examine. While it is a huge Democratic county and is likely to go for Biden, King said Trump’s efforts should be aimed at shrinking the margin when it comes to battleground states like Georgia, where close elections are won by a relatively small number of votes.

Remember: Biden won Georgia in 2020 by less than 12,000 votes.

As more of the results come come in, Haley continues to cannibalize Trump’s votes in areas like DeKalb County and Fulton County, which are the big population centers that delivered Georgia to Biden in 2020, ultimately winning him the presidency. So it appears that Trump continues to be weak in the same Georgia areas as he was in 2020, King explained.

This post has been updated with additional results from Georgia’s GOP primary.

"Could there be two worse options?": Some Georgia voters consider not going to the polls in November

A group of undecided voters in Atlanta, Georgia, said they are not enthusiastic about voting for either President Joe Biden or former President Trump in the November general election, the presumptive nominees for each of their parties.

In the important swing state, some voters said their disillusion with both candidates could keep them from voting at all.

He said he feels like too much is at stake not to vote and he is considering casting his ballot for a third-party candidate.

Another independent voter who has voted for both Democrats and Republicans in the past said that while she is “not a Trump fan,” she also thinks Biden is too old to be president.

“I alsothink both candidates are sopolarizing that it’s hard forour country to get behindanyone,” she said.

One Democrat said she liked Haley, but now that she is out of the race, she might not vote in November. That was echoed by another voter who said Haley “had all the elements of what I look for in a president.” Now he said he will most likely vote for Trump.

Republican National Committee, now under Trump control, will add new lawyers to focus on election integrity

From CNN's Kristen Holmes, Daniel Strauss and Marshall Cohen
Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (8)

In this April 2022 photo, former One America News Network anchor Christina Bobb speaks in Chandler, Arizona.

The Republican National Committee, now under the control of former President Donald Trump and his campaign, is bringing on a slate of new lawyers both internally and externally who will focus intensely on election integrity.

The lawyers “will initiate battle on election integrity from an offensive instead of defensive posture,” Trump’s co-campaign manager and newly instated RNC Chief of Staff Chris LaCivita told CNN.

LaCivita will also bring on Charlie Spies, an experienced GOP lawyer, to take over as chief counsel at the RNC. And Bill McGinley, a former White House Cabinet secretary in Trump’s administration, will serve as outside counsel to the RNC for election integrity, a source familiar tells CNN.

Trump attorney Christina Bobb, a former correspondent at the Trump-aligned One America News, will join as senior counsel for election integrity. Bobb was very active in promoting Trump’s claims that the 2020 election was stolen and authored a book called “Stealing Your Vote: The Inside Story of the 2020 Election and What It Means for 2024.”

The moves come after Trump’s hand-picked candidate for chair of the committee, Michael Whatley, was elected to lead the RNC. A source close to Trump said that the former president’s interest in Whatley, formerly the RNC’s general counsel, stems directly from Whatley’s work andintense focus onclaims of election fraud.

CNN Projection: Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker will win Republican primary

From CNN's Andrew Menezes
Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (9)

Sen. Roger Wicker speaks to the press on the transparency from the Department of Defense regarding the health of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on January 11, in Washington, DC.

Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker will win the Republican primary Tuesday, CNN projects, in his bid for a third full term.

Wicker, who had former President Donald Trump’s endorsement, bested two opponents in the primary – state Rep. Dan Eubanks and retired Marine Ghannon Burton.

Wicker will next face Democrat Ty Pinkins in November. Pinkins, who was unopposed in his primary, is an Army veteran who was the unsuccessful Democratic nominee for Mississippi secretary of state last year.

Wicker first entered the Senate in December 2007, when he was appointed to succeed Republican Trent Lott. He previously served 13 years in the US House of Representatives.

A Democrat hasn’t won a US Senate election in the deep-red Magnolia State since 1982.

How delegates select nominees at conventions

From CNN staff

The Republican National Convention is scheduled to be held July 15-18 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Democratic National Convention will be held August 19-22 in Chicago. Delegates at both these conventions will formally select their parties’ nominees, who will then face off in November’s presidential election.

Here’s how the delegates work:

What is a delegate: Performing well in primaries and caucuses equals delegates, and the larger goal is amassing the magic number of delegates to secure a nomination before delegate voting atthe party convention. It takes 1,215 of 2,429 delegates to win the Republican nomination and it takes 1,968 of 3,934 delegates to win the Democratic nomination.

How are delegates allotted: During most of the early primaries and caucuses, states award delegates proportionally. That means that each candidate gets a number of delegates roughly equivalent to the percentage of the vote he or she has won. Delegates can be awarded based on results either statewide or in individual congressional districts. This process continues to play out even if the outcome is assured — as is currently the case for both President Joe Biden and Donald Trump.

There are different types of delegates:

  • “Pledged” or “bound” delegates: A delegate who pledges (on the Democratic side) or is bound (on the Republican side) to support a certain presidential candidate at the national convention. The amount of freedom these delegates have to support other candidates varies by state, by party, and by circumstances.
  • “Superdelegates,” “unpledged” or “unbound” delegates: Republicans have 142 “unbound” delegates who are not technically required to support the candidate who won their state at the outset of the convention and are free to support the candidate of their choice. In the Democratic Party, there are “unpledged” or “automatic” delegates — also known as “superdelegates.” All members of Congress, Democratic governors and other key party leaders are automatically superdelegates. They can no longer vote on the first ballot for president if they can mathematically affect the outcome.

Read more about delegates and how the primaries work.

CNN Projection: Rep. Mike Ezell will win GOP primary for Mississippi’s 4th District

From CNN's Andrew Menezes
Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (10)

Rep. Mike Ezell leaves a meeting of the House Republican Conference at the Capitol Hill Club on Wednesday, July 26, 2023.

Mississippi Rep. Mike Ezell will win the Republican primary for the state’s 4th Congressional District, CNN projects.

Ezell, a freshman lawmaker, was the only member of Mississippi’s four-member US House delegation to face a primary challenge Tuesday.

One of his challengers was businessman Carl Boyanton, who was making his third straight bid for the southeastern Mississippi seat and loaned more than half a million dollars to his campaign, according to Federal Election Commission records.

Ezell, who had former President Donald Trump’s endorsement, was first elected to the House in 2022 after winning a primary runoff over Republican incumbent Steven Palazzo, who was dogged by ethics issues.

Ezell will be the heavy favorite in November in the deep-red district that Trump would have carried by 38 points in 2020 under its current lines. Democrat Craig Raybon was unopposed in his primary Tuesday.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says he's chosen a running mate and will announce his decision within 2 weeks

From CNN's Eva McKend and Aaron Pellish
Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (11)

Pins and other merchandise in support of Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on display during a voter rally at St. Cecilia Music Center on February 10 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has selected a vice presidential nominee and will announce his decision within the next two weeks, he told CNN on Tuesday.

Kennedy said he’s “made up his mind” on his running mate, which he selected from a shortlist that includes NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers and former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, whom he said he’s met with recently to discuss the possibility of joining his campaign.

Other names include former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, Republican Sen. Rand Paul and former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang, a campaign spokesperson said. Kennedy told CNN he also spoke with former television host Mike Rowe, motivational speaker Tony Robbins and Tricia Lindsay, a civil rights attorney.

Kennedy cited deadlines in several states that require him to name a vice presidential nominee to apply for ballot access as the reason for announcing his nominee soon.

The Washington Post first reported that Kennedy had selected his running mate.

Polls are closing next in Washington. Here are key things to know about the state's political landscape

From CNN's Ethan Cohen and Molly English
Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (12)

Election worker Wendy Wimer looks through vote-by-mail ballots for the presidential primary election on Tuesday in Vancouver, Washington.

Polls are closing in Washington state at 11 p.m. ET. The state has become a stronghold for Democrats. The Evergreen State has backed the Democratic presidential candidate in the last nine presidential elections, since Michael Dukakis in 1988.

The state’s 2022 midterm elections painted a difficult picture for the state’s Republican organization. Democratic Sen. Patty Murray won reelection with 57.1% of the vote and Democrats flipped a House seat, giving the state eight Democratic members of the House and Republicans only two.

Democratic support in Washington state is largely centralized in the high-tech, progressive hubs of Seattle and the surrounding King County area. Republicans run best in the more sparsely populated and rural parts of the state. The battle for control is usually fought in the outlying Seattle suburbs.

In 2020, Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee won reelection with 56.6% of the vote. Inslee has chosen not to seek a fourth term in 2024. The last Republican governor of Washington was John Dennis Spellman, who served from 1981 to 1985.

In 1996, Democrat Gary Locke was elected governor of Washington, becoming the first Asian American governor in the continental United States. Locke later served as commerce secretary in the Obama administration and as US ambassador to China.

DNC chair and convention chair celebrate Biden clinching Democratic nomination

From CNN's DJ Judd
Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (13)

President Joe Biden, right, greets Jaime Harrison, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, at the organization's summer meeting at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in September 2022.

The chairs for the Democratic National Committee and Democratic National Convention Committee celebrated President Joe Biden’s status as the presumptive Democratic nominee for president Tuesday.

DNC Chair Jaime Harrison in a statement said Biden “understands that our freedoms, our democracy, and the very future of our country are at stake – and once again, he will meet this moment and bring Democrats together this November.”

Harrison’s sentiments were echoed by Democratic National Convention Committee Chair Minyon Moore, who previewed Democrats’ convention in Chicago, where delegates from all 57 US states and territories will gather to nominate Biden and Harris in August..

“As we face another battle for the soul of our nation, we encourage every American to tune in to the Democratic National Convention this summer to celebrate the Biden-Harris ticket and rally around Democrats’ vision of a free and fair America,” she said.

Biden secures enough delegates as Trump closes in on GOP nomination. Here's where things stand

From CNN staff

Joe Biden has officially secured enough delegates to become the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, CNN projects, allowing him to fully pivot to the general election campaign as he tries to win a second term.

His likely Republican opponent, Donald Trump, is also on course tonight to secure his party’s presidential nomination.

Here’s where CNN has projected winners so far tonight:

Georgia — polls closed at 7 p.m. ET

  • Democratic: Biden is projected to win, crossing the delegate threshold
  • Republican: Trump

Mississippi — polls closed at 8 p.m. ET

  • Democratic: Biden
  • Republican: Trump

What else is coming up: Polls will close at 11 p.m. ET in Washington state’s primary elections. Hawaii Republicans are holding caucuses which will end at 2 a.m. ET. Voting will also wrap up tonight in the primary for Democrats Abroad, the official arm of the Democratic Party for Americans living overseas.

Where delegates stand so far:

Democrat:

  • Biden: 2,011 (The president needed 1,968 to become the Democratic presumptive nominee)
  • Uncommitted: 20
  • Jason Palmer: 3

Republican:

  • Trump: 1,184 (The former president needs at least 1,215 delegates to win the GOP nomination)

Remember: Although they are both expected to win enough delegates tonight, neither Trump or Biden will officially become the nominee until the national conventions vote this summer.

Looking ahead to November: Biden has been on a post-State of the Union tour of swing states, first going toPennsylvania last Fridaybefore Georgia and thenNew Hampshire on Monday. Tomorrow, he will be in battleground Wisconsin, touting infrastructure funding. Trump is bound for Dayton, Ohio, this weekend, when he will host a rally for businessman Bernie Moreno, his endorsed candidate in the GOP primary to take on Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown. The Ohio election isamong several seen as criticalto Democratic hopes of holding the Senate.

CNN’s Gregory Krieg contributed reporting to this post.

Biden says he's honored to become presumptive nominee as he looks ahead to November election

From CNN's Donald Judd

President Joe Biden said he is honored to become his party’s presumptive nominee for president after securing the delegates necessary to clinch the nomination on Tuesday. It sets up a likely general election rematch with former President Donald Trump in November.

Biden reached the 1,968 delegates necessary with an allocation of delegates from Georgia—a battleground state that was crucial in his 2020 general election victory.

Looking ahead to the general election in November, the president warned that “freedom and democracy are at risk here at home in a way they have not been since the Civil War.”

“Voters now have a choice to make about the future of this country,” he wrote. “Are we going to stand up and defend our democracy or let others tear it down?”

In a new campaign video posted to social media, Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are seen across campaign stops in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Nevada as he asks supporters. “Are you ready to win this election?”

The post was updated with details on the campaign video.

CNN Projection: Trump will win Mississippi’s GOP primary as he moves closer to party nomination

From CNN staff

Donald Trump will win Mississippi’s Republican primary, CNN projects, as he moves closer to winning enough delegates to secure the GOP presidential nomination.

There were 40 GOP delegates at stake in the state primary

CNN Projection: Biden will win Mississippi’s Democratic primary

From CNN staff

President Joe Biden will win Mississippi’s Democratic primary, CNN projects.

There were 35 Democratic delegates at stake in the primary.

Earlier this evening, Biden earned enough delegates to secure the Democratic presidential nomination with an allocation of delegates from Georgia, CNN projects.

Remember: It takes 1,968 of 3,934 delegates to win the Democratic nomination. Biden will officially be nominated at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this August.

It's 8 p.m. ET and polls are closing in Mississippi

From CNN's Ethan Cohen and Molly English
Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (14)

Allyn Ray votes at Willie Morris Library, Precinct 34, in Jackson, Mississippi, on March 12.

It’s 8 p.m. ET, and polls are closing in Mississippi.

The Magnolia State holds open primaries, which means registered voters can vote in either contest.

Republicans have 40 delegates at stake in Mississippi, while Democrats have 35.

Mississippi has not voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since 1976 when Jimmy Carter edged out Gerald Ford by two percentage points.

More on the state’s political landscape: Mississippi’s Republican Party controls the governorship, state House and state Senate. The state has just one Democratic member of Congress: Rep. Bennie Thompson.

The Democratic strongholds in Mississippi are in the state capital of Jackson and in other areas with large Black populations, especially in the Mississippi Delta in the northwestern part of the state

Georgia giving Biden the Democratic nomination is cherry on top for his campaign, officials say

From CNN's MJ Lee

Georgia being the state to give Joe Biden the delegates needed to clinch the Democratic nomination for president is a cherry on top for the Biden campaign, officials said.

In 2020, Biden defeated Donald Trump in Georgia, becoming the first Democratic presidential candidate to win the state in 28 years. While Trump initially had an early lead in the ballot counting in 2020, Biden moved ahead of his predecessor as votes from Atlanta and its suburbs were tabulated.

The Biden campaign once again views Georgia as a critical battleground state that it hopes Biden can win again in November. It was one of the first states that the president visited this weekend as part of his post-State of the Union tour, and Vice President Kamala Harris traveled there last month as well.

Why Biden and Trump's performance in Georgia's primary will be closely watched

From CNN's Steve Contorno,Priscilla Alvarez,Kristen HolmesandGregory Krieg

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump’s campaign appearances in Georgia this weekend offered an early window into the competing strategies for courting an electorate less-than-enthused about another Biden-Trump showdown.

Both candidates are projected to win their parties’ respective Georgia primaries tonight.

Few battlegrounds will be more closely watched than Georgia – where Biden won by less than 12,000 votes four years ago – for signs of how voters are responding to the outreach, making the Peach State a fitting kickoff to the eight-month fight ahead.

The two arrived in Georgia this weekend at a key turning point in the presidential race. Saturday’s rally marked Trump’s first since emerging as his party’s presumptive nominee after pushing former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haleyto finally end her long-shot presidential campaign. His nomination could take another symbolic step toward becoming official on Tuesday when Georgia and three other states award their delegates.

Meanwhile, Biden’srousing State of the Union addressmarked an unmistakable pivot toward the political challenge ahead. His nearly 70-minute speech did not mention Trump by name, but included multiple references to “my predecessor” and went to extraordinary lengths to set the stakes for the November election.

CNN Projection: Trump will win Georgia’s GOP primaryas he inches closer to party nomination

From CNN staff
Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (15)

Former President Donald Trump leaves the stage a the conclusion of a campaign rally at the Forum River Center March 9, in Rome, Georgia.

Donald Trump will win Georgia’s Republican primary, CNN projects, taking another step toward locking down the party’s presidential nomination for the third consecutive election.

There were 59 Republican delegates at stake in the primary.

It takes 1,215 of 2,429 delegates to win the Republican nomination. Trump has secured at least 1,144 GOP delegates so far.

CNN Projection: Biden will win Georgia’s primary and secure enough delegates for Democratic nomination

From CNN staff
Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (16)

President Joe Biden speaks during a campaign event in Atlanta on March 9.

President Joe Biden has earned enough delegates to secure the Democratic presidential nomination, according to a projection from the CNN Decision Desk.

Biden reached the 1,968 delegates necessary with an allocation of delegates from Georgia.

Biden will officially be nominated at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this August.

Biden to tout infrastructure funding in Wisconsin as he seeks to sell second term to voters in battleground state

From CNN's Donald Judd

President Joe Biden is heading to Wisconsin this week to tout $3.3 billion in funding aimed at addressing inequalities built into the nation’s infrastructure as his campaign seeks to sell voters on a second term. The visit Wednesday is the latest stop in a post-State of the Union battleground state blitz.

The funding, which includes $36 million for a Milwaukee infrastructure project aimed at improving the city’s 6thStreet Corridor, is part of the administration’s Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Grant program. The initiative seeks to “rectify the damage done by past transportation projects and drive economic growth in communities in every corner of the country,” according to a fact sheet shared with CNN.

That money falls under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, two of the president’s signature legislative achievements he’s sought to highlight as he makes the case for his reelection bid.

Biden’s visit to Wisconsin — his second trip to the state in 2024 — comes as he narrowly trails his GOP rival, former President Donald Trump, in the state. In aMarquette University Law Schoolpoll conducted in January, 46% of likely voters in the state said they’d back Trump, with 44% backing Biden and 10% saying they were still undecided. Biden carried Wisconsin in 2020 by just 20,000 votes, flipping the state blue after Trump won it in 2016.

It's 7 p.m. ET and polls are closing across Georgia. Here's what you should know about this key state

From CNN's Ethan Cohen and Molly English
Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (17)

Voting stickers are displayed at the Joan P. Garner Library at Ponce De Leon voting precinct during the Georgia Presidential Primary Election, in Atlanta, on March 12.

It’s 7 p.m. ET and polls are closing in Georgia, which holds an open primary. This means registered voters may participate in either primary.

There are 59 delegates at stake for Republicans and 108 delegates at stake for Democrats.

Why Georgia is key: The state helped deliver Joe Biden his White House victory in 2020 and then determined Democrats would control the Senate in two runoff elections in 2021. The state then again backed the Democratic candidate for Senate in 2022, helping Democrats maintain control of the chamber. While Democrats have achieved several wins in federal elections in Georgia, GOP Gov. Brian Kemp was able to win reelection in 2022.

Georgia became a focal point of national politics after the 2020 presidential election, when Trump called on Georgia state officials, including Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to “find” enough votes to flip the state for him to win. The former president and several of his advisers have been indicted for their actions in Georgia during the 2020 election.

Atlanta and its inner suburbs are the most solidly Democratic regions of the state. The city’s outer suburbs have historically supported Republicans, but many of these affluent areas have moved towards Democrats in recent years.

Here's how many delegates Trump and Biden have won so far — and how many they need to clinch their nominations

From CNN's Ethan Cohen

It takes 1,215 of 2,429 delegates to win the Republican nomination and 1,968 of 3,934 delegates to win the Democratic nomination.

President Joe Bidenandformer President Donald Trumpare expected to clinch their respective parties’ 2024 nominations tonight, although neither will officially become the nominee until the national conventions vote this summer.

As Georgia, Mississippi and Washington state vote today, 235 delegates are at stake for Democrats and 161 delegates are at stake for Republicans, with the inclusion of Hawaii’s caucuses.

Here is CNN’s latest delegate estimate:

Democrat:

  • Biden: 1,868
  • Uncommitted: 20
  • Jason Palmer: 3

Biden needs 100 delegates to clinch the Democratic nomination.

Republican:

  • Trump: 1,089

Trump needs 126 delegates to clinch the GOP nomination.

This latest delegate estimate includes the allocation of the 11 Texas delegates to Trump. While the state party had maintained that those delegates would be awarded at a party convention later this year, today theyannouncedthey’d be based instead on the results of last week’s primary.

Bidenshifted to a general election posture as he rallied supporters in New Hampshire yesterday

From CNN's Betsy Klein
Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (18)

President Joe Biden speaks about the costs of living during an address at the YMCA Allard Center March 11, in Goffstown, New Hampshire.

President JoeBidenralliedsupportersduring his first visit to a field office of his reelection campaign in Manchester, New Hampshire, on Monday. He highlighted his accomplishmentsand criticizedhis predecessor as he shifts to a general election posture.

Bidenlaid out what he has defined as the stakes this November, pointing to his efforts to restore dignity, protect alliances,andshore up the world’s democracies.

The president also highlighted his legislative wins, pointing to manufacturing job growthandinfrastructure successes, but acknowledged that it’s “going to take a little time for people to begin to see the benefits.”

As polls consistently show Donald Trump narrowly leadingBiden, the president said that polls don’t “matter much”at this stage because the election is “a way out.” He also added that polling has “changed a lot,”andthat that it’s “not nearly as accurate” as it used to be.

Biden’s annual budget hits populist economic themes as the general election campaign continues to heat up

From CNN's Sam Fossum
Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (19)

President Joe Biden speaks during an event about lowering costs for American families at the Granite State YMCA Allard Center of Goffstown on March 11 in Goffstown, New Hampshire.

President Joe Bidenreleased his annual budget on Monday, laying out his aspirational funding priorities in what serves as an important messaging event as he works to convince voters who are sour on the economy to give him a second term.

The $7.266 trillion budget outlined by the White House, which comes as the president hits battleground states on the campaign trail this week, builds on the policy vision he laid out in last week’sState of the Union addressin which he vowed to help the middle class and tried to draw contrasts with congressional Republicans and presumptive GOP presidential nomineeDonald Trump, whom he referred to only as “my predecessor.”

The administration’s proposal comes as a prolonged spat over funding the government plays out on Capitol Hill. The government has been operating on a stopgap measure for months, and lawmakers have passed a series of short funding bills that have kept the US government on the brink of shutting down for weeks as congressional Republicans fight among themselves about federal spending.

White House officials targeted Trump and congressional Republicans in laying out Biden’s latest budget proposal, while emphasizingBiden “has made lowering costs for hardworking families is top economic priority.”

With Biden facing persistently low ratings on his handling of the economy, despite improving economic indicators, his proposals focus on populist themes such as raising tax rates on the wealthy and large corporations and lowering the cost of prescription medications – areas where the White House thinks it can appeal to voters, even if some of those proposals as written are likely dead on arrival in anarrowly divided Congress.

Read more about Biden’s budget.

Trump is juggling a busy legal and election calendar

From CNN's Devan ColeandAmy O'Kruk

Donald Trump is juggling a busy court and campaign schedule as he defends himself inseveral criminal caseswhile also vying for a second term in the White House.

The former president’s first criminal trial is expected to place later this month in a courtroom in New York, where he faces charges stemming from his alleged falsification of business records with the intent to conceal illegal conduct connected to his 2016 presidential campaign.

The trial start date in Trump’sclassified documentscase in Florida had been set for late May, but the judge overseeing that case revisited the timing of the trial during a key hearing on March 1. She has not yet set a new date for the trial.

Georgia is a relatively new battleground state in presidential politics and a national focal point since 2020

From CNN's Ethan Cohen and Molly English
Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (20)

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump addresses a campaign rally at the Forum River Center March 9 in Rome, Georgia.

Georgia became a focal point of national politics after the 2020 presidential election, when Donald Trump called on Georgia state officials, including Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, to “find” enough votes to flip the state for him to win. The former president and several of his advisers have been indicted for their actions in Georgia during the 2020 election.

The Peach State is a relatively new battleground state in presidential politics. Take a look at how it’s voted:

  • The state helped deliver Biden his White House victory in 2020 and then determined Democrats would control the Senate in two runoff elections in 2021.
  • Georgia then again backed the Democratic candidate for Senate in 2022, helping Democrats maintain control of the chamber.
  • Meanwhile, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp won reelection in 2022 by nearly 300,000 votes — an improvement from his narrower win in 2018, when he won by less than 50,000 votes. Kemp defeated Democrat Stacey Abrams in both elections.

Black voters made up 29% of the 2020 Georgia presidential electorate. And Biden won 88% of Black voters. In 2016, the demographic made up 30% of the electorate and favored Clinton with 89% of the vote. In 2008, Obama won 98% of Black voters.

What to know about the demographic: Atlanta and its inner suburbs are the most solidly Democratic regions of the state. The city’s outer suburbs have historically supported Republicans, but many of these affluent areas have moved towards Democrats in recent years.

Biden campaign anticipates president will clinch nomination hours after Hur testimony

From CNN's MJ Lee
Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (21)

President Joe Biden speaks at a campaign event at Pullman Yards on March 9 in Atlanta.

The Biden campaign is anticipating President Joe Biden will clinch the Democratic Party’spresidential nomination tonight.

Campaign officials say when Biden crosses the delegates threshold on Tuesday, as is widely expected, it will not only mark a symbolically meaningful moment for the campaign but should also help more disengaged voters see that the 2024 presidential election will be between Biden and Donald Trump.

Tonight will be one of those “cementing moments,” one Biden campaign official said — not dissimilar from when Nikki Haley dropped out of the Republican race or when the president delivered his State of the Union address last week.

Biden is expected to clinch the nomination just hours after former special counsel Robert Hur testified on Capitol Hill about his controversial investigation into the president’s handling of classified documents. Despite Hur saying he did not exonerate Biden, the White House has declared the president “innocent,” saying after the hearing: “Case closed.”

Here's how many GOP delegates are at stake in every 2024 primary contest

From CNN's Zachary B. Wolf,Amy O'Krukand Ethan Cohen

Winning individual primaries and caucuses is just one step in the long path to winning a party’s presidential nomination. Both parties hold conventions in the summer where delegates technically select the nominee. The process and rules are different for each party, but the primaries are about winning enough delegates to secure the nomination.

For the GOP, former President Donald Trump is the presumptive nominee at this point after winning almost all the nominating contests and following the withdrawal of his sole opponent, Nikki Haley, last week.

Winning the nomination requires at least 1,215 out of 2,429 delegates awarded as part of the primary process.

Below, explore how many delegates are up for grabs in every primary contest:

Analysis: Trump's notable policy shifts on social security and TikTok this week

From CNN's Zachary B. Wolf

Former President Donald Trump’s politics are mostly focused on himself, as opposed to an ideology, but two notable evolutions this week — on Social Security and TikTok — spotlight something new.

Both Trump and President Joe Biden will look to sell their policy positions now that their general election rematch is upon us. Biden, for instance, hasshifted on border policy, a calculated shift to address the crisis and also triangulate support away from Trump.But Trump’s comments on TikTok and Social Security, both in an unfetteredinterview on CNBC, suggest not calculation, but confusion about Social Security and ambivalence about TikTok.

On Social Security: Trump spent the primary and much of his political career promising to protect benefits at all costs, a switch for Republicans who have long been warning about deficit spending.

It’s not now clear what exactly Trump’s position is. In an ad-libbed and meandering answer during a telephone interview broadcast on CNBC, Trump seemed to suggest that he was open to cutting Social Security.Trump’s campaign spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, however, argued Trump was “clearly talking about cutting waste, not entitlements.”

On TikTok: As president, heissued executive ordersthat would have forced ByteDance, TikTok’s China-linked parent company to divest the popular social media app, part of a larger anti-China effort during his time in the White House. The effort was stopped by federal courts as his term ended, although ByteDance did move to enact something it callsProject Texasmeant to keep US users’ data away from China.

House Republicans and many Democrats are now carrying forward with a vote on a new law that would, like Trump’s executive orders, force ByteDance to spin TikTok off within roughly five months or bar it from US app stores. Trump, however, now says Facebook, not TikTok, is “an enemy of the people” and opposes, or at least doesn’t seem to care much about forcing ByteDance to spin TikTok off.

Read the full analysis of Trump’s policy shifts here.

Biden and Trump kicked off their rematch this weekend with dueling Georgia visits

From CNN's Steve Contorno,Priscilla Alvarez,Kristen HolmesandGregory Krieg
Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (22)

Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump reacts as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene speaks during a campaign rally at the Forum River Center in Rome, Georgia, on March 9.

Sixty miles of Georgia highway and a political universe apart,Joe BidenandDonald Trumpkicked off the sequel to their 2020 contest in earnest Saturday with competing rallies in what could be a decisive state this November.

Biden and Trump are not quite four years removed from their first presidential matchup and, if this opening volley of the general election campaign was any indication, the new race could sound a lot like the old one.

Speaking in Atlanta, Biden slammed Trump over “who he keeps company with,” pointing to the former president’s rally alongside Rep.Marjorie Taylor Greene in Rome, Georgia, and his gushing review of a Friday night meetingwith right-wing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, before again describing Trump as an existential threat to the republic. In a preview of the campaign to come, Biden also promised that if the country elects him, along with a like-minded Congress, “I promise you I will restore Roe v. Wade as the law of the land.”

Trump offered a less substantial, though equally familiar message in his own speech, criticizing Biden’s Thursday State of the Union address as an “angry, dark, hate-filled rant” and then mocking the president’s stutter – a lifelong struggle that Biden has often reckoned with in public.

The former president also hit Bidenover remarks he made earlier in the dayabout the alleged killer of nursing student Laken Riley – whose family Trump met with backstage before his rally. Biden told MSNBC he should have used the term “undocumented” to refer to Riley’s alleged killer after he called him an “illegal” during a heated portion of his speech to Congress.

The competing Georgia visit was the second split-screen appearance by the two men in as many weeks. Last month, Biden and Trump visited the US-Mexico border on the same day.

Read more about the Biden-Trump dueling Georgia visits.

Analysis: Why it will be tough for Biden to defeat Trump

From CNN's Harry Enten
Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (23)

Former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden.

The 2024 presidential general election is here, for all intents and purposes.Joe BidenandDonald Trumpare set to face off in the firstpresidential rematchsince 1956. It’s also the first rematch between a current and a former president since 1892.

But unlike in 2020 when he was favored over Trump for the entirety of the campaign, Biden faces a rougher road this time around. Indeed, he has no better than a 50-50 shot for reelection, and fans of the current president should be aware that Trump has a real chance at retaking the White House.

Just look at the polls that werereleased earlier this month. Surveys from The New York Times/Siena College, CBS News/YouGov, Fox News and The Wall Street Journal all gave Trump a higher percentage of the vote than Biden by margins ranging from 2 to 4 points. (KFF had Biden scoring 3 points higher than Trump.)

All those results were officially within the margin of error, but put together they paint a picture of a troubled incumbent. It’s not just that Biden is in worse shape against his general election opponent than almost any incumbent in thepast 75 years(save Trump in 2020). It’s that a lead of any margin for Trump was unheard of during the 2020 campaign – not a single poll that met CNN’s standards for publication showed Trump leading Biden nationally.

And in that2020 race, the states that put Biden over the top in the Electoral College (Arizona, Georgia and Wisconsin) were each decided by less than a point. He had very little margin for error.

The state of polling today looks worse for Biden. I’ve previously pointed out that the president looks to be in aconsiderably worse positionin Sun Belt battleground states today than four years ago. He’s trailing by 5 points or more in the most recent polling fromArizona,GeorgiaandNevada. No Democratic presidential candidate has lost Nevadasince 2004.

Keep reading about how the 2024 campaign is shaping up.

There are headwinds for Trump in Georgia – many of his own making

From CNN's Steve Contorno,Priscilla Alvarez,Kristen HolmesandGregory Krieg
Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (24)

Former President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign event in Rome, Georgia, on March 9.

After former President Donald Trump became the first GOP presidential candidate to lose Georgia in 24 years, he lashed out at statewide Republican officeholders, baselessly accusing them of concealing widespread voter fraud. In a phone call with Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger two months after the 2020 election, Trump pressed Georgia election officials to “find” the votes needed to overturn the election result.

Shortly after his defeat, the state’s two Republican senators – David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler – lost their respective runoff contests against Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, handing Democrats a slim Senate majority at the beginning of Biden’s presidency. Many in the party blamed Trump’s election denialism and criticism of mail-in ballots for lower party turnout in those runoff contests.

Trump attributed his 2020 loss to Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and Raffensperger, both of whom refused to aid him in overturning the election in the state. Trump personally recruited primary challengers to both men in 2022, though Kemp and Raffensperger prevailed and won reelection. Trump has since been indicted for his alleged efforts to interfere in the 2020 election in the state – making Georgia home to one of several legal battles he faces while running for president.

One Republican strategist in the state said Trump’s antics there have hardened many swing voters against the former president. In 2022, that resulted in a sizable number of conservative-leaning independents and moderates splitting their tickets, voting for Kemp for governor but Warnock for Senate. Notably, Trump and Kemp have not reconciled, though Kemp last year said he would vote for the former president over Biden. Kemp was not invited to Trump’s rally in the state.

Even Republicans rooting for Trump to succeed are unconvinced whether he can make the necessary adjustments to win Georgia. “It depends on Trump. I want to see a gracious winner,” said Jule Windham, the local Republican Party chairman of Macon County in Middle Georgia.

One senior adviser told CNN that Trump’s team expects to build out its campaign operations in Georgia in the coming weeks. His messaging, though, has already shifted to the general election, particularly seizing on national angst over the flow of migrants crossing the US-Mexico border.

Read more about Trump’s campaign efforts in the state.

Federal judge approves Trump's bond in civil defamation case with E. Jean Carroll

From CNN's Lauren del Valle

A federal judge approved Donald Trump’s $91.63 million bond on Tuesday in his civil defamation case with E. Jean Carroll.

Trumpposted the bondsecured by the insurance company Chubb last week and Carroll’s legal team did not object. The bond covers 110% of the judgment amount, which is a common requirement by the district court.

A federal jury awarded Carroll $83.3 million in damages last month over Trump’s defamatory public statements attacking Carroll and denying her rape allegations against him.

Enforcement of that judgment is now paused while Trump’s appeal plays out.

Georgia judge says he could rule this week on whether to remove Fani Willis from Trump election case

From CNN’s Jason Morris and Nick Valencia
Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (25)

Fulton County Superior Judge Scott McAfee presides in court during a hearing in the case of the State of Georgia v. Donald John Trump at the Fulton County Courthouse on March 1 in Atlanta.

The presiding judge in former President Donald Trump’s Georgia election subversion case says he is on track to have his order finished by the end of this week on whether to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Wills.

In an interview last Thursday on WSB Radio in Atlanta to discuss the challenger he will face in his reelection bid, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee briefly spoke about Willis and his pending order on whether to remove her from prosecuting Trump and the remaining co-defendants.

Previously, McAfee told the court at the end of the Willis disqualification hearings that he would take at least two weeks to decide.

Trump and others on the case are seeking to disqualify Willis after accusing her of financially benefiting by hiring her special prosecutor in the case, Nathan Wade, with whom she became romantically involved.

During the 8-minute audio clip from The Shelley Wynter Show on WSB Radio — and in a rare instance he has spoken about the case — McAfee talked about how the case has impacted him personally, saying he looks forward to the day he can speak with his toddler-aged children about his experience presiding over the historic case.

Georgia's Kemp says he will support GOP nominee in November because Trump is "better than Joe Biden"

From CNN's Veronica Stracqualursi
Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (26)

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp arrives for a tribute service for former first lady Rosalynn Carter at Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church at Emory University on November 28, 2023 in Atlanta.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said Tuesday that he would back the Republican Party’s nominee in November, although he did not specify whether he voted for former President Donald Trump in the state’s GOP primary.

Trump and Kemp have had a strained relationship, and the governor refrained from endorsing the former president in the primary.

When the governor’s office was asked to clarify his primary vote, press secretary Garrison Douglas responded, “In today’s gaggle with reporters, the Governor stated that he voted in the Republican Primary for president and will support the GOP nominee in November.”

Kemp resisted pressure from Trump to overturn the 2020 election results, a decision that put him and the former president at odds and led Trump to call on Kemp to resign and recruit and endorse Kemp’s GOP challenger in the 2022 election

Asked Tuesday why he’d back Trump given their history, Kemp said, “Well, I think he’d be better than Joe Biden, it’s as simple as that.”

He did not say whether he would campaign with Trump, instead saying his “main goal” will be to maintain Republicans’ majority in Georgia’s legislature.

Clarification:The headlineand story have been updated to clarify how Kemp characterized whom he voted for in Georgia’s GOP primary.

2 Supreme Court justices urge Americans to tone down political rhetoric despite charged atmosphere

From CNN's John Fritze
Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (27)

Supreme Court Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Amy Coney Barrett.

Supreme Court Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Amy Coney Barrett on Tuesday urged Americans to turn down the temperature of civic discourse — even as the high court is working through some of the most charged political cases on its docket in years.

Sotomayor said that on the Supreme Court she and her colleagues come to disagreements with an assumption that all nine are operating in good faith.

The comments came as the Supreme Court has been wrestling with several high-profile political controversies, including a recent case challenging former President Donald Trump’s eligibility to appear on Colorado’s ballot and his claims of immunity from criminal prosecution.

Neither justice mentioned those cases — or any others — in their remarks at George Washington University during the annual Civic Learning Week National Forum.

Barrett, a Trump nominee, noted at one point that justices have the “ability to write an opinion more broadly or more narrowly” as one way to find compromise and that “not everything has to be decided in an opinion.”

Sotomayor and Barrett also spoke together in late February at a meeting of the National Governors Association focused on how to “disagree better.”

Trump is appearing on the Washington primary ballot after a state judge dismissed a 14th Amendment lawsuit

From CNN's Marshall Cohen
Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (28)

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally on Saturday in Rome, Georgia.

Election officials in Washington state confirmed in January that Donald Trump’s name would remain on the GOP primary ballot, after a state judge dismissed a lawsuit that tried to disqualify him based on the 14th Amendment.

Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, a Democrat, said his office wouldmove forwardwith the ballot-printing process now that the lawsuit was rejected. He also praised the judge for issuing a ruling in a “timely and well-considered fashion.”

Thurston County Superior Court Judge Mary Sue Wilsondismissed the lawsuit, which argued that Trump should be removed from the ballot because the 14th Amendment’s “insurrectionist ban” renders him ineligible for office.

She further explained that Washington state laws don’t establish procedures to do the “extensive” fact-finding that would be required to determine whether Trump engaged in the January 6, 2021, insurrection and how the 14th Amendment should be applied.

Furthermore, the Supreme Court ruled earlier this month that Trumpshould appear on the ballotin Colorado. The court was unanimous on the idea that Trump could not be unilaterally removed from the ballot. But the justices were divided about how broadly the decision would sweep. A 5-4 majority said that no state could dump a federal candidate off any ballot – but four justices asserted that the court should have limited its opinion.

Analysis: Biden's State of the Union wasn't a game changer

From CNN’s Harry Enten
Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (29)

President Joe Biden delivers his third State of the Union address in the House Chamber of the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on March 7.

President Joe Biden’s team was hoping for a big bounce coming out of his State of the Union address, but the first data we have suggests there won’t be one.

A newABC News/Ipsos survey, conducted fully after Biden’s speech to a joint session of Congress, finds his favorability rating at 33%. His favorability rating in the previous Ipsos poll on the subject? Also 33%. His unfavorability rating went from 50% to 54%, though that is within the margin of error.

This lack of a polling spike shouldn’t be too surprising. Since 1978, the average percentage change in a president’s approval rating before and after a State of the Union has been 0 points.

While Biden’s address Thursday was well received by those who watched it, that’s always been the case for those who tune in. If anything, Biden’s was the least well received State of the Union address this century: 65% of Americans viewed Thursday’s speech positively,a CNN/SSRS poll found. His past State of the Union addresses were positively received by more than 70% of viewers on average.

In terms of the broader public, the speech didn’t appear to leave much of a mark. The Ipsos poll found that 29% of all Americans thought Biden had exceeded expectations, but most of them were Democrats.

A vast majority of Americans said Biden either did worse than expected (12%) or the same as expected (24%) or they hadn’t heard, read about or seen the State of the Union (35%). This latter group is worth noting because it is the largest one. It shows that something that might have seemed very big to some people hadn’t even seeped into the consciousness of many others.

And when it came to the final question of whether Biden, a Democrat, or Republican Donald Trump would do a better job at leading the country, Trump scored 3 points better than the president (33% to 30%) in the Ipsos poll. That result is within the margin of error, but it fits with previous national polling about the state of the race.

Biden continues to have his work cut out for him.

Gen Z congressman warns that TikTok ban bill won’t help Biden rally young voters

From CNN's Sam Fossum and Manu Raju
Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (30)

Rep. Maxwell Frost listens during a news conference outside of the US Capitol on January 18 in Washington, DC.

Democratic Rep. Maxwell Frost, thefirst Gen Z congressman, warned Tuesday that President Joe Biden potentially signing into law a bill that could ban TikTok wouldn’t be helpful as the president tries to court younger voters.

He added that he believes Congress should address the potential risks posed by TikTok as well as other social media companies, but argued that the TikTok legislation is being “steamrolled” through Congress.

“So I’m not sure this is the way to go. And the way it was steamrolled through Congress here,” Frost said. “A lot of my colleagues don’t fully understand what they’re voting on tomorrow, either. Okay, so I just think that this we’re moving too fast and something that’s going to have drastic impacts for people in this country.”

House Republicans are moving forward with a vote on the bill set for Wednesday despiteDonald Trump having signaled some uneasiness over the legislation that would ban the app unless it part ways with its Chinese parent company.

Biden campaign feeling good about Hur testimony, official says

From CNN's Priscilla Alvarez
Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (31)

Special Counsel Robert Hur arrives to testify before the House Judiciary Committee on March 12 in Washington, DC.

The Biden campaign is feeling good about Robert Hur’s testimony Tuesday, a campaign official told CNN, citing the back-and-forth over Donald Trump’s handling of classified material during the House Judiciary Committee hearing.

The special counsel’s report, which offered a damaging portrait of an aging president, invited questions about his mental acuity and age — a delicate issue in an election year in which voters have expressed concern about Biden’s fitness to serve a second term.

But the hearing Tuesday largely focused on the differences between Hur’s investigation into Biden’s mishandling of classified documents and special counsel Jack Smith’s case investigating Trump.

Heading into Tuesday, the White House prepared for attacks from congressional Republicans against Biden, especially over lapses in memory that were referenced in Hur’s report.

Democratic lawmakers have sought to contrast the Trump classified documents case and Biden’s handling of classified documents over the course of the hearing, repeatedly stating that no charges were brought against the president.

Rep. Ken Buck to leave Congress before the end of his term, another blow to the GOP majority

From CNN's Clare Foran
Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (32)

Rep. Ken Buck participates in an interview on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on February 6.

Republican Rep. Ken Buck of Colorado, a hardline conservative who has clashed with his own party at times, said on Tuesday that he will leave Congress before the end of his term.

The Colorado Republican’s departure from the House will shakeup the chamber’s partisan breakdown, where Republicans control only a very narrow majority — a major challenge for Speaker Mike Johnson who has frequently been forced to rely on votes from Democrats as well as Republicans to get major pieces of legislation across the finish line.

A look at the numbers in the House: Currently, Republicans control 219 seats, while Democrats control 213 and there are three vacancies. Buck’s decision to step down before the end of his term stands to make that 218 seats for Republicans to 213 for Democrats. With that breakdown, Republicans could only afford to lose two votes to pass legislation on a party line vote.

Buckannouncedlast year he would not seek reelection, citing stagnation in Congress and his party’s election denialism asfactors in his decision to not run in 2024.

CNN’s Jack Forrestand Haley Talbot contributed to this report.

Biden and Teamsters talk Social Security and Medicare as president courts endorsement

From CNN's DJ Judd

Joe Biden discussed his records with labor unions as well as protecting Social Security and Medicare in his meeting with the Teamsters on Tuesday as the president competes with Donald Trump for the crucial union vote ahead of November.

Biden “appreciated the opportunity to discuss his historic, pro-union record with the Teamsters today,” his campaign said in a statement after the president’s meeting with the group, pointing to a slew of endorsements from labor unions the campaign has already accrued and noting that “we hope to earn the support of the Teamsters as well.”

According to the campaign, Biden and the group “agreed on the importance of protecting Social Security and Medicare, so that workers who have paid into them their entire career can retire with dignity.”

The Biden campaign has criticized GOP front-runner Trump for comments he made during an interview with CNBC on Monday in which the former president suggested Social Security and Medicare could be cut.

The Biden campaign said the president and members of the Teamsters “celebrated what has been a historic year for unions,” touting a number of milestones, including Biden’s move to walk the United Auto Workers picket line in September, while trumpeting endorsements from the AFL-CIO, AFSCME, AFT, UAW and other unions.

Biden is visiting multiple battleground states as he ramps up campaign effort

From CNN's Steve Contorno,Priscilla Alvarez,Kristen HolmesandGregory Krieg
Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (33)

President Joe Biden during an event at Earth Rider Brewery in Superior, Wisconsin, on Thursday, January 25.

President Joe Biden visited New Hampshire on Monday, and he’s set to visit Wisconsin and Michigan later this week as his campaign seeks to amplify his State of the Union message and build on its infrastructure.

There are plans for Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to travel to every battleground state in the coming weeks, the campaign said.

“Throughout this month of action, we will aggressively mobilize the diverse Biden-Harris coalition,” Rodriguez said.

That includes Saturday’s visit to Georgia, a state that has proved critical to Democrats winning the White House and the Senate in the past two cycles.

Early polls of the state, however, show Trump ahead. And unlike in 2020, the race for the US Senate will not come through Georgia, leaving it up to the Biden campaign to mobilize voters without the help of key down-ballot candidates.

Republicans dominate Mississippi elections — there is just one Democratic member of Congress

From CNN's Ethan Cohen and Molly English
Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (34)

Rep. Bennie Thompson speaks during a hearing with the House Committee on Homeland Security on Capitol Hill on January 30 in Washington, DC.

Mississippi has not voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since 1976 when Jimmy Carter edged out Gerald Ford by two percentage points.

Mississippi’s Republican Party controls the governorship, state House and Senate. The state has just one Democratic member of Congress: Rep. Bennie Thompson.

A look at the demographics: African Americans comprised 36% of Mississippi’s 2012 electorate. Obama won the African American vote with 96%. Romney won 89% of the White vote. Whites made up 59% of the 2012 electorate. There was no 2016 exit poll or 2020 exit poll. The Democratic strongholds in Mississippi are in the state capital of Jackson and in other areas with large Black populations, especially in the Mississippi Delta in the northwestern part of the state.

GOP member complains about Republicans targeting each other in primaries as tensions grow

From CNN's Melanie Zanona

During a closed-door party meeting this morning, one GOP member stood up and complained about Republicans targeting each other in primaries, three sources familiar told CNN — a growing trend in the GOP that has caused friction inside the party and created headaches for leadership.

GOP Rep. William Timmons of South Carolina is facing a primary challenge from state representativeAdam Morgan,who chairs the South Carolina Freedom Caucus and has been endorsed by several members of the House Freedom Caucus.

Timmons — who was recently endorsed by Donald Trump — defended his conservative record during a House GOP conference meeting this morning, noting that he votes over 90% of the time with the same colleagues who have endorsed against him.

Timmons complained that if that is not “good enough,” then they can’t be a functioning majority.

This is just the latest example of tensions spiking inside the party as some members go after one another in primaries.

Rep. Matt Gaetz has endorsed a primary opponent to GOP Rep. Mike Bost and will also attend a rally for GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales’ primary does in Texas on Thursday.

As primaries get underway across the country, here's what's happening on the Hill

From CNN's Antoinette Radford

Voters in four states will today head to the polls to decide whether Joe Biden or Donald Trump will represent their parties at the 2024 presidential elections. But on the Hill, lawmakers are discussing the two candidates for an entirely different reason.

Special counsel RobertHur has been testifying before Congress this morning about his investigation into Biden’s mishandling of classified documents.

As a reminder — Hur’s report did not charge Biden with a crime. But it did paint a picture of a forgetful commander-in-chief who failed to protect sensitive information. The White House has blasted some of the criticismas “way out of line.”

Throughout Tuesday, the similarities and differences between Hur’s investigation and Jack Smith’s investigation into former President Trump — including thatTrumpis facing criminal charges — have become a focus of fierce debatebetweenallies of the two presidents.

Democrats have slammed comparisons between Biden and Trump’s actions, while Republicans have argued that the two should have been treated the same in the eyes of the law.

Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz’s suggested that all the elements necessary for a federal criminal violation were met, but Hur also disputed this characterization, emphasizing that President Joe Biden’s mishandling of classified documents lacked “intent.”

Hur consistently reiterated Tuesday morning that the investigation was done under his guidance, and was written in his own words, telling Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a Democrat from New York:

The hearing is ongoing. Follow CNN’s live coverage here to read more.

Biden and Trump could secure enough delegates today to clinch their parties' respective nominations

From CNN staff

It takes 1,215 of 2,429 delegates to win the Republican nomination and 1,968 of 3,934 delegates to win the Democratic nomination.

Tuesday’s primary contests could help President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump gain enough delegates to secure their parties’ respective nominations —although neither will officially become the nominee until the national conventions vote this summer.

The states and territories holding elections today include Georgia, Hawaii (Republican presidential caucuses), Mississippi, Northern Mariana Islands (Democratic primary) and Washington. The Democrats abroad presidential primary is also taking place.

Here’s where the latest delegate estimates stand:

Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (35)
Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (36)

These are the primary contests happening today

From CNN staff

Former President Donald Trump’s team hopes he secures enough delegates in today’s multistate primaries to clinch the Republican nomination —although he won’t officially become the nominee until the national convention vote this summer.

It takes 1,215 of 2,429 delegates to win the Republican nomination.

Here are the contests held Tuesday:

  • Georgia
  • Hawaii (Republican presidential caucuses)
  • Mississippi
  • Northern Mariana Islands Democratic primary (party-run)
  • Washington state
  • Democrats abroad, presidential primary

Access the full election calendar.

Here's how primaries work

From CNN's Zachary B. Wolf
Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (37)

A voter casts their ballots at a polling location at the Museum of Contemporary Art on March, 5 in Arlington, Virginia.

Before Americans pick a president in November, they get to pick the candidates in a series of primaries and caucuses.

It’s a wonky process that has evolved over the course of the country’s history and continues to evolve today. Here’s what to know:

What is a primary?: It’s an election to select candidates, usually for a particular political party, to appear on the general election ballot. Primaries award delegates, and candidates must reach a magic number of delegates to win the nomination and appear on the general election ballot in November.

Who can vote in a presidential primary? It varies by state. Primaries are generally conducted in polling places like any other election. But some states have “open primaries,” meaning any registered voter can vote in either the Democratic or Republican primary. Other states have “closed primaries,” meaning only people registered in a particular political party – usually Republicans or Democrats – can vote in that party’s primary. Others offer voting day registration, which essentially opens the primaries to most registered voters.

If multiple candidates win in party primaries in different states, how is the ultimate presidential candidate determined? Delegates can either be apportioned through awinner-take-all system, meaning the top candidate in a state’s primary gets all of that state’s delegates, or they can be apportioned proportionally to the primary electionresults. Some states have thresholds where every candidate who gets over a certain amount of the vote – say, 20% – may be entitled to delegates. Democrats these days apportion all of their delegates proportionally.

Republican rules this year generally require that states with primaries and caucuses before March 15 apportion delegates proportionally. States with primaries and caucusesafter March 15 may switch to a winner-take-all format.

Get more of your primary questions answered here.

Teamstersunion not expected to endorse Biden today

From CNN’s Priscilla Alvarez

TheTeamstersunion is not expected to endorse President Joe Biden on Tuesday, according to union spokesperson Kara Deniz, who described this afternoon’s meeting as one part of the process.

Biden will meet with theTeamstersin Washington, DC, on Tuesday as he tries to secure support from unions in key battleground states. TheTeamstersunion, which has also met with former President Donald Trump, traditionally endorses a candidate after the conventions.

TheTeamsters— which have 1.3 million members — have twice endorsed against Trump, backing Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Biden in 2020. Bidenhas madeappealing to union members, a traditionallyDemocraticvoting bloc, a key part ofhis strategy for winning over working-class voters, especially in the battleground states of Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.Biden will travel to Michigan and Wisconsin this week.

TheTeamstersUnion political committee gave $45,000 to the Republican National Committee in January, around the same time that Trump met with the organization’s leadership.Trump met withTeamstersleader Sean O’Brien at Mar-a-Lago late last year, and again with the organization earlier this year.

CNN’s Donald Judd contributed to this report.

A presidential election year comes with a lot of jargon. CNN explains some political terms frequently used

From CNN's Ethan Cohen and Molly English

Here’s the breakdown of some political terms that you may hear being used throughout the election season:

Caucus: A presidential caucus is a political meeting where participants indicate their preferred candidate for president and begin their state’s process of selecting delegates to their party’s national convention. Some state parties hold “unassembled” or “firehouse” caucuses, where voters have more freedom to simply stop by and vote without attending a meeting. Caucuses are one of two methods used to allocate delegates. (The other is a primary).

Primary: An election in which voters choose from among candidates competing for a party’s nomination. Typically state-run, although some state parties run their own primaries. One of two methods used to allocate delegates (the other being a “caucus”).

Delegates: Representatives who will be responsible for choosing the presidential and vice-presidential nominees at the parties’ national conventions.

“Pledged” or “Bound” Delegate: A delegate who pledges (on the Democratic side) or is bound (on the Republican side) to support a certain presidential candidate at the national convention. The amount of freedom these delegates have to support other candidates varies by state, by party, and by circumstances.

Exit poll: A survey of voters in states that hold primaries conducted throughout Election Day. It is called an “exit” poll because voters are interviewed as they exit from a polling place. Voters are asked who they voted for, as well as for certain personal characteristics, such as age, race and gender.

Find other commonly used political terms here.

CNN Projection: Joe Biden wins the Northern Mariana Islands

President Joe Biden will win the Democratic primary in the Northern Mariana Islands, according to a projection from the CNN Decision Desk.

Biden also won all six of the territory’s national convention delegates.

Here’s a quick reminder of delegates so far:

  • Biden: 1,868
  • Uncommitted: 20
  • Jason Palmer: 3

Eight delegates from March 5 contests are still to be allocated.

Biden needs another 100 delegates to win the Democratic nomination, as a total of 1,968 pledged delegates are required.

Analysis: Biden projected a vision of strength in his State of the Union address last week

From CNN'sStephen Collinson
Live updates: Biden and Trump secure their parties’ presidential nominations | CNN Politics (38)

President Joe Biden delivers the annual State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the Capital building on March 7 in Washington, DC.

Atthe State of the Union addresslast week, the 81-year-old president set out to defuse his biggest liability: deep-seated fears among millions of Americans that he’s too old to serve a second term.

There is nothing worse for a president than looking weak. So every word, gesture, joke and admonition of Joe Biden’s appearance was geared toward the goal of making him look strong.

And in the most important moment of the 2024 election campaign so far, Biden appeared to succeed. He projected vigor and forcefulness. His voice, which has seemed reedy at times, was sonorant. He was quick off the mark as he goaded heckling Republicans, who again walked into his trap by showcasing their extremism to millions of viewers. Biden was a trenchant master of the chamber of the House of Representatives, effectively wielding the theatrics of the presidency and commanding an hour of unfiltered primetime television.

At times, Biden reanimated the scrappy, twinkle-eyed, blue-collar street politician that has characterized his public image for decades — for instance, when he used the word “illegal” instead of the more politically correct term “undocumented migrant.”

Taking aim at another of his own weaknesses — over the border crisis — Biden attacked the GOP for sabotaging a bipartisan border bill that contained many of the policies that Republicans had been advocating for years, apparently because Trump wanted to deprive him of an election year win. And he also slammed Republicans for forgetting the trauma of the January 6, 2021, mob attack on the US Capitol by the former president’s supporters. The president’s intention appeared to be to remind voters of the extremes of the Trump years at a time when polls suggest growing nostalgia for his presidency among some voters.

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