Biden, Trump both become parties’ presumptive nominees
President Joe Biden and his predecessor Donald Trump have now unofficially clinched their respective party’s nomination after securing enough delegates Tuesday night.
Trump needed 1,215 to win the Republican Party’s nomination. Biden needed 1,968 delegates to win the Democratic party’s nomination.
Georgia, Mississippi, Washington, and the Northern Mariana Islands were holding Democratic primaries Tuesday. Georgia, Mississippi, and Washington held GOP primaries as well along with caucuses in Hawaii.
Their wins mean another Biden-Trump showdown is virtually guaranteed whether Americans want it or not. And that rematch — the first in a U.S. presidential election since 1956 — is poised to deepen searing political and cultural divides.
Typically at this moment, candidates will shift their message to speak to a broader swath of voters — especially moderates and independents — that play a more influential role in general elections compared to the hardcore base voters that decide primaries.
However, observers note that Trump is showing little interest — or ability — to embrace a more inclusive or moderate tone. He’s still falsely insisting that the 2020 election was stolen and praising those who stormed the Capitol.
On the Democratic side, Biden’s coalition could change its view of the race as the reality sets in that this election is now a binary choice between Biden and Trump. Biden’s campaign is betting big that’s the case. The Democratic president unveiled a new campaign ad as part of a $30 million battleground-state investment casting himself as more effective than Trump — despite concerns about Biden’s age.
Trump won’t make it easy on Biden. A super PAC backing Trump released a new ad that asks, "If Biden wins, can he even survive till 2029?"
When will they actually be the official nominees?
Nominees are officially declared when their respective parties hold their national conventions later this year.
The RNC will be held in Milwaukee from July 15-18. The DNC will be held in Chicago August 19-22.
Full election results: March 12 primaries
Live Georgia election results
Live Mississippi election results
Live Washington election results
Live Hawaii caucus results
The Associated Press contributed to this report. This story was reported from Los Angeles.