Michigan win firms up Biden and Trump rematch prospect
President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump won the Michigan primaries, further solidifying the all-butcertain rematch between the two.
Mrbidenyesterdayvisitedthe Walter Reed National Military Medicalcentreinmarylandfor his annual physical examination – with the results sure to be closely watched as the 81-yearold seeks re-election.
The president defeated Minnesota representative Dean Phillips, his one significant opponent left in the Democratic primary. But Democrats were also closely watching the results of the "uncommitted" vote, as Michigan has become the epicentre for dissatisfied members of Mr Biden's coalition that propelled him to victory in the state – and nationally – in 2020.
The number of "uncommitted" votes has already surpassed the 10,000-vote margin bywhichmrtrumpwonmichigan in 2016, surpassing a goal set by organisers of this year's protesteffort.asformrtrump, he has now swept the first five states on the Republican primary calendar.
His victory in Michigan over his last major primary challenger, former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, comes after the former president defeated her by 20 percentage points in her home state of South Carolina on Saturday.
The Trump campaign is lookingtolockupthe1,215delegates needed to secure the Republican nomination sometime in mid-march.
Both campaigns are watching Tuesday's results for more than just whether they won as expected.
For Mr Biden, a large number of voters choosing "uncommitted" could mean he is in significant trouble with parts of the Democratic base in a state he can hardly afford to lose in November.
Mr Trump, meanwhile, has underperformed with suburban voters and people with a college degree, and faces a faction within his own party that believes he broke the law in one or more of the criminal cases against him.
Mrbidenhasalreadysailedto winsinsouthcarolina,nevada and New Hampshire.
The New Hampshire victory came via a write-in campaign as Mr Biden did not formally appear on the ballot after the state broke the national party rules by going ahead of South Carolina, which had been designated to go first among the Democratic nominating contests.
Both the White House and Biden campaign officials have made trips to Michigan in recent weeks to talk to community leaders about the Israelhamas war and how Mr Biden has approached the conflict, but those leaders, along with organisers of the "uncommitted" effort, have been undeterred.
The robust grassroots effort, which has been encouraging voters to select "uncommitted" as a way to register objections to his handling of the war in Gaza,hasbeenmrbiden'smost significant political challenge in the early contests.
That push, which began in earnest just a few weeks ago, has been backed by Democratic representative Rashida Tlaib, the first Palestinian American woman in Congress.
The grassroots effort has been Mr Biden's most significant political challenge