CNN projects that Donald Trump has clinched the Republican nomination for the presidential election, making it official that voters will see a rematch of the 2020 election between Trump and Joe Biden.
Biden, the incumbent president and presumptive Democratic nominee, and Trump emerged victorious in several Tuesday primaries. Biden won the Democratic contests in Georgia, Mississippi, and Washington. Trump took the Republican primaries in those same states.
Hawaii Republicans also held caucuses on Tuesday. Biden was projected to win the Democratic primary in the Northern Mariana Islands.
In a video posted to the social media site X, Biden celebrated securing his party’s nomination. He called the current political moment “a time of choosing” and urged voters to defend democracy in the upcoming November election.
Trump soon followed with a video of his own on X, declaring victory in clinching the Republican nod. He criticized Biden, calling him “the worst president in history” and saying he “must be defeated.”
The contests come after last week’s Super Tuesday, where Biden and Trump saw strong performances that moved them closer to a majority of delegates. Their rematch for the White House is anticipated, though Trump will campaign under the shadow of ongoing legal battles.
He faces 91 felony charges related to efforts to overturn the 2020 election and involvement in the January 6th insurrection. Special counsel investigations also covered Trump’s handling of classified documents and 2016 hush money payments.
While Biden is running on similar themes of addressing concerns over Trump’s behavior and the economy, he faced little serious primary challengers. His opposition has come more from intraparty critiques than from other candidates.
