NEW YORK CITY - One of the most important events of campaign and election season is finally here. On what is commonly known as Super Tuesday, 15 states and one territory will cast their ballots to decide who will represent them ahead of the general elections, making it one of the most decisive days leading up to the November presidential race.
This Super Tuesday in particular brings a deja-vu effect among the electorate, as it is reshaping a likely rematch between President Biden and former President Donald Trump.
On one hand, Democrats' primary choice remains President Biden, who is not facing any serious challenges as the incumbent. His last-remaining competitor, Rep. Dean Phillips, has launched a longshot bid against the president to defeat him in his hometown state of Minnesota.
Author Marianne Williamson, who had dropped out of the Democratic ticket, unsuspended her campaign after she finished ahead of Phillips in the Michigan primary. Nevertheless, President Biden currently holds all of the delegates awarded thus far.
On the Republican side, Tuesday will prove to be a more crucial event.
Former President Trump is the clear front-runner for the Republican nomination, but former United States Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley is still in the race. She has previously vowed to keep her campaign going at least through Super Tuesday.
The former ambassador has yet to win any states. This week, she was able to turn victorious in Washington D.C., a territory with primarily Democratic citizens. Nonetheless, she has also been able to pick some delegates along the way in some other states.
Here's what else you should know for Super Tuesday.
Which states will be voting on Super Tuesday?
Republicans are holding primaries in the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont and Virginia
Republicans will also be holding caucuses in Alaska and Utah.
Democrats, on their end, are holding primaries in: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia.
Democrats will be holding caucuses in the U.S. territory of American Samoa.
How many delegates are up for grabs on Super Tuesday?
There are 865 Republican delegates up for grabs on Super Tuesday. The Republican candidate needs 1,215 delegates out of 2,429 to win the nomination. As of Tuesday morning, Trump held 276 and Haley held 43. This means that Trump won't be technically the nominee even if he wins all delegates.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has since dropped out, has nine delegates and Vivek Ramaswamy, who has also dropped out, has three.
Meanwhile, Democrats are fighting for 1,420 delegates this Tuesday. To clench the nomination, a candidate would need 1,968 out of 3,934 total delegates.
So far, Biden holds 206 of those delegates, an "uncommitted" initiative holds 2, while Phillips and Williamson hold zero. He won't officially be the nominee either if he wins all states.
CBS News estimates that the earliest Trump can clinch the nomination is March 12 and the earliest Biden can is March 19.
Could this be Haley's last round?
Haley and her followers have stayed stubborn and persistent throughout the campaign. Even after losing in her home state of South Carolina, she vowed to fight on Super Tuesday, insisting Republican voters deserved the opportunity to cast their ballots in the primary.
"In the next 10 days, another 21 states and territories will speak," she said after the South Carolina primary on Feb. 24. "They have the right to a real choice, not a Soviet-style election with only one candidate. And I have a duty to give them that choice."
But despite her efforts, and only with Washington DC under her belt, it'll be nearly impossible to justify the continuation of her candidacy.
It is also important to note that Haley has been vague about her plans post-Super Tuesday, so it's likely that her performance on Tuesday will have a large impact in determining whether she will continue campaigning or not.
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