Former President Donald Trump has emerged victorious in the North Dakota Republican presidential caucuses, securing all 29 delegates available in the state. This win comes on the heels of former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley’s victory in the Washington, D.C., Republican presidential primary. Both candidates are now gearing up for Super Tuesday, when results from 16 states will be announced, marking the largest delegate haul of the presidential primary season. Trump and President Biden are currently leading in their respective races and are on track to secure their party nominations later this month.
In North Dakota, Trump’s win puts him at 276 delegates, compared to Haley’s 43, out of the 865 Republican delegates up for grabs on Super Tuesday. A GOP presidential nominee needs 1,215 delegates to secure the party’s nomination. Other candidates on the ballot in North Dakota included Florida businessman David Stuckenberg and Texas businessman and pastor Ryan Binkley, with little attention given to their campaigns. Voters in the state cited various reasons for their choice, with some supporting Trump for his policies and others favoring Haley for her approach.
North Dakota has historically been a Republican stronghold, with Trump securing the state’s three electoral college votes in both the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections. As president, Trump visited the state multiple times to discuss key issues such as tax cuts and to campaign for Republican candidates. The Democratic-NPL Party in North Dakota is holding a presidential primary almost entirely by mail, with mail-in voting available from Feb. 20 to March 30, along with limited in-person voting for residents of Indian reservations. President Biden and Rep. Dean Phillips are among the candidates on the ballot for the Democratic primary.
The caucus voting process in North Dakota required attendees to be paying party members, with non-members asked to sign a pledge to affiliate with the party. Voting was conducted in person on printed ballots, which will be hand-counted. The state does not have voter registration, but official voter identification protocols were followed, such as providing a driver’s license. North Dakota’s Republican caucuses have historically played a significant role in determining the party’s presidential nominee, with a delegate from the state helping Trump secure the nomination in 2016.
Looking ahead, Trump and Haley will continue to campaign in other states as they seek to secure the Republican presidential nomination. Super Tuesday will be a crucial day for both candidates, with the outcome of contests in 16 states likely to shape the trajectory of the primary race. As the race intensifies, the focus will shift to key issues and policy proposals put forth by the candidates, as they seek to gain support from voters across the country.
