President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump easily won a low-drama presidential primary in Washington state on Tuesday, ensuring a rematch in the general election in November.
Voting results announced Tuesday night showed that Mr. Biden received about 86% support in the Democratic primary, while Mr. Trump received about 74% support in the Republican primary. The Associated Press called the race just after 8 p.m.
As a result of Washington's results, Trump also won primaries in Georgia and Mississippi earlier in the day, confirming Trump's nomination as a Republican. Biden became the Democratic Party's nominee after Georgia's vote.
An “irresponsible” protest vote among Washington Democrats aimed at pressuring Biden to push harder for a ceasefire in the Gaza war garnered more than 7% support in the Democratic primary.
Although there was no doubt about the outcome, the final vote totals and turnout in Washington state's primary won't be known until thousands of later-arriving votes are counted over the next week or so.
Two other longshot Democrats also appeared on the Washington ballot. Self-help author Marianne Williamson and U.S. Representative Dean Phillips (D-Minnesota). Phillips ended his campaign last week endorsing Biden. Williamson announced his retirement last month, but had his suspension lifted a few weeks later.
Among Republicans, Trump appeared on the ballot along with four of his rivals who have already finished their campaigns. Her last opponent, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who ended her campaign last week, received nearly 22% of the vote Tuesday.
Voters in the primary elections were allowed to participate in either the Democratic or Republican elections, but not both.
Unlike all other elections in the state, the presidential primary requires voters to choose their preferred political party and sign a partisan declaration on their ballot envelope, pledging not to compete for the nomination of another party. was required.
This controversial requirement consistently frustrates many voters, resulting in them rejecting signatures and ruining their ballots. As of Tuesday, more than 53,000 people had their ballots challenged for refusing to sign a partisan pledge.
Tuesday's vote included only the presidential primary. The primary elections for state officials, including governor, will be held on August 6th.
The Republican results in Washington gave Trump 43 sworn delegates from the state to this summer's Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, surpassing the 1,215 delegate threshold needed to win the nomination.
Biden on Tuesday surpassed the 1,968 delegates needed to win the Democratic nomination, securing most if not all of Washington's 92 pledged delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. I was on track.
But this “non-commitment” campaign could still win some delegates if it wins more than 15% of the vote either statewide or in one of the state's congressional districts. In King County, more than 10% of Democratic voters had not cast a ballot as of Tuesday.
Bothell Deputy Mayor Rami Al Kabra, who helped lead the dedication effort, noted that subsequent votes often tend to be more progressive. “I feel very hopeful and very excited,” he said in an interview. “By Friday, we will definitely know what our situation is.”
As of Tuesday's vote count, less than 30% of Washington state voters had returned their ballots. A spokesperson for the Secretary of State's office said they expect turnout to be about 40% to 45% once all votes are counted. Voter turnout in presidential primaries in the 2020s was 50%.
The impending rematch between Biden and Trump will influence the vote in Washington.
Attorney General Bob Ferguson, a leading Democratic candidate to replace Gov. Jay Inslee in the Washington gubernatorial race, has been criticized for refusing to say whether he will support Trump this fall, leading to a possible rivalry. He lashed out at former Congressman Dave Reichardt.
Mr. Ferguson mocked Mr. Reichert on social media platform X on Tuesday.
“He sucks. He avoids. He's not going to stand up to Trump and he's not going to stand up for the people of Washington,” wrote Ferguson, who admitted in a text message that he voted for Biden.
In a statement, Mr. Reichert did not say whether he supported Mr. Trump, but criticized Mr. Ferguson's racial nationalization efforts as distracting and fear-mongering.
“This election is about the things that really matter to the people of Washington state: increased crime, homelessness, gas prices, taxes and education,” he said.
Reichardt has criticized Trump in the past and declined to support him in 2016. A former King County sheriff suggested in 2017 that he might have arrested Trump for lewd comments about predatory women depicted in the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape. Jurisdiction despite being a police officer.
The Trump era was an electoral disaster for Republicans in state elections, with Republicans holding zero statewide offices and remaining in the minority in the state House and Senate.
Trump won just 39% of the vote here in 2020 and 38% in 2016.
State Democratic Party Chair Shasti Conrad said in a statement Tuesday night that she looks forward to the choices voters will face in November. “This is a battle for the soul of our people, and we are fully committed to the outcome and a Democratic victory in November,” she said.
President Trump released a video Tuesday night following Washington's results, boasting that “we're over the top with these results” and attacking Biden as “the worst president in our country's history.”
Biden warned in a statement earlier Tuesday that freedom and democracy are at risk now, when “the threat from President Trump is greater than ever.”
“Voters now have a choice to make about the future of this country,” he wrote.
This report includes material from The Associated Press.
