President Joe Biden and his Republican rival, Donald Trump, each gained more delegates on Tuesday after winning primaries in Kentucky and Oregon.
The wins add to their delegate counts for the national conventions. The results also offer insights into the current sentiments of the Democratic and Republican bases as the primary season nears its conclusion.
Both Biden and Trump continue to face some dissent within their parties. Biden has seen protest votes due to his handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict. Meanwhile, Trump still contends with votes for former rival Nikki Haley, despite her campaign’s end.
In Kentucky, with about 80% of the vote counted, roughly 18% of Democratic voters chose “uncommitted.” On the Republican side, Haley garnered about 6% of the vote, according to Associated Press.
While Biden is already the Democrats’ presumptive nominee, Oregon’s primaries could add up to 66 more delegates to his count as he gears up for a rematch with Trump.
On the other side, Oregon’s primaries could add up to 31 more delegates to Trump’s tally.
Oregon has leaned towards Democrats in presidential elections since the mid-1980s, boasting eight solidly blue electoral college votes. However, Republicans found hope in the midterms when Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer flipped the state’s Fifth congressional district.
There were also confusion among voters regarding Trump’s presence on Oregon’s ballot as his statement was absent from the pamphlet sent to all voters in the state.
The Trump campaign reportedly did not submit a statement for inclusion in the pamphlet.
After Tuesday, eight nominating contests remain: Democrats in Idaho, D.C., Guam, and the Virgin Islands, and both parties in Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, and South Dakota.
In addition to presidential primaries, voters in Kentucky, Oregon, Georgia, and Idaho selected nominees for the U.S. House and other state races.
In Georgia, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who is leading the prosecution against Trump in the 2020 election interference case, defeated her Democratic primary challenger Christian Wise Smith. Scott McAfee, the judge in the case, also won his election.
The Democratic primary race for Chavez-DeRemer’s seat was also on Tuesday’s ballot, as two Democrats battle to take on the incumbent in November.
In Oregon’s third Congressional district, Susheela Jayapal, sister of U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, was seeking to succeed retiring Rep. Earl Blumenauer.
