[News Terms] What Is Super Tuesday... Biden-Trump Rematch Virtually Confirmed

Presidential Primary in 16 States on the 5th
Super Tuesday Winner Confirmed as Candidate for 40 Years
Republican Haley's Possible Withdrawal Draws Attention

With the U.S. presidential election this November approaching, 'Super Tuesday,' which effectively confirms the rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, is just one day away.

On the 5th (local time), primary elections or caucuses will be held in 16 states, including California and Texas, which rank first and second in population and number of delegates, as well as Alabama and Alaska. The Democratic and Republican parties will each allocate 36% of their total delegates based on the results of this vote. In terms of numbers, 1,420 out of 3,936 Democratic delegates and 874 out of 2,429 Republican delegates will be confirmed.

President Joe Biden of the United States (left) and former President Donald Trump [Image source=AP Yonhap News]

When Did Super Tuesday Emerge?

The term Super Tuesday originated in the 1970s. It currently refers to the day when the most states hold primary elections allowing voters to select presidential candidates. Sometimes it occurs in February, but it usually refers to the first Tuesday in March. However, until the 1980s, the term was also used to describe the last Tuesday in June when major states like California and New Jersey held their primaries.

The term Super Tuesday began to be widely used in American politics and media starting with the primary elections held on Tuesday, May 25, 1976. At that time, large-scale primaries or caucuses were held two to three months later than they are now, around May or June. In 1976, Republican primaries were held simultaneously in six states, with then-incumbent President Gerald Ford and candidate Ronald Reagan each winning three states in the Republican race.

The current use of the term Super Tuesday was established during the 1988 presidential candidate selection. State governments, mainly in the southern U.S., eager to increase their political influence in the presidential primaries, moved their primary dates earlier, resulting in 21 regions holding primaries simultaneously on March 8 of that year. Since then, for 40 years, the winners of Super Tuesday in both the Democratic and Republican parties have mostly become their parties' presidential nominees.

What Are the Key Points to Watch This Super Tuesday?

The most notable issue this Super Tuesday is the final showdown between former President Trump and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley. Various previously released polls showed Trump's support exceeding Haley's by more than 20 percentage points. Given this situation, the possibility of a major upset in this Super Tuesday primary is very low. Most regions holding Super Tuesday primaries use a winner-takes-all system, so barring surprises, Trump is expected to secure the majority of the 874 Republican delegates.

Nikki Haley, former UN Ambassador
[Photo by Getty Images Yonhap News]

Accordingly, after Haley suffered a significant defeat to Trump in her hometown of South Carolina on the 24th of last month, attention is focused on when she might withdraw from the race. Haley, who has previously resisted withdrawal pressure by stating she would continue as long as she remained competitive, said in an interview with NBC that day that she would not be bound by any promise to support the Republican nominee.

For the Democratic Party, where the incumbent president is seeking re-election, the Super Tuesday primary is essentially a formality. President Biden received over 95% support in South Carolina and over 80% in Michigan. The New York Times explained that voters in Michigan who did not support Biden were essentially expressing protest against the Biden administration's policies related to the Israel war rather than supporting another candidate.

Although both President Biden and former President Trump are expected to win their respective primaries, the final nomination will not be confirmed on this day. According to the Associated Press, based on delegate count trends, Trump, who needs 1,215 delegates to secure the Republican nomination, is expected to be confirmed as the party's presidential candidate on the 12th, while Biden, who needs 1,968 delegates, is expected to be confirmed on the 19th.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.