Super Tuesday recap: Trump, Biden pick up big wins; Haley set to drop out

Nikki Haley will drop out of the 2024 presidential race after voters across the country made their voices heard on Super Tuesday.

Former President Donald Trump defeated Haley, the former South Carolina Governor, in more than a dozen states, taking his most significant step yet towards the 2024 Republican nomination. Haley did defeat Trump in one contest: Vermont's Republican primary.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden fended off his Democratic challengers and built momentum as he seeks a second term in office. The president only faced one strange loss to entrepreneur Jason Palmer in American Samoa.

Catch up with the USA TODAY Network's live coverage of Super Tuesday.

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Nikki Haley will suspend her campaign after a crushing Super Tuesday

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley will drop out of the 2024 presidential race in a Wednesday address.

Haley will make the announcement in a 10 am speech from Charleston, S.C. where her campaign has been based for the last year. She will not immediately endorse former President Donald Trump, who has been losing a not insignificant number of moderate Republicans and independents to Haley in GOP contests.

The Wall Street Journal first reported her plans.

Haley was the last remaining challenger to Trump, who is now headed toward clinching the Republican nomination at the convention this summer.

-- Francesca Chambers and Karissa Waddick

More: Nikki Haley suspending her 2024 presidential campaign after disappointing Super Tuesday

Nikki Haley's campaign calls for 'unity' among Republicans

Nikki Haley's presidential campaign didn't address the former South Carolina governor's future in the GOP race in a statement released Tuesday night. However, it did issue a warning about "unity" within the Republican Party.

"Today, in state after state, there remains a large block of Republican primary voters who are expressing deep concerns about Donald Trump. That is not the unity our party needs for success. " said Haley national spokesperson Olivia Perez-Cubas. "Addressing those voters’ concerns will make the Republican Party and America better."

Haley is on track to lose all but one state, Vermont, on Super Tuesday. The string of losses, and Trump's mounting delegate lead, put serious question marks over Haley's path forward in the Republican primary.

?Karissa Waddick

Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff and Republican Steve Garvey move forward in California Senate race

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Republican former baseball star Steve Garvey are advancing in the pivotal California Senate race.

The election to fill the state's U.S. Senate seat vacated by the late Dianne Feinstein has been one of the most closely watched elections in the country.

California is one of just a few states in the nation to hold what is commonly called a "jungle" primary, where registered voters, regardless of their political party affiliation, can cast their vote for whichever candidate they prefer. That’s why a Republican and a Democrat are moving forward to November’s general election in the state.

– Kinsey Crowley and Kathryn Palmer

Is Vermont an open primary?

Nikki Haley has defeated Donald Trump in one Super Tuesday state so far: Vermont.

Vermont does not have party registration, so registered voters can choose to vote in any party's (Republican, Democrat and Progressive) presidential primary election. However, voters cannot vote in more than one primary in each election cycle.

While some votes are still being tallied in the Green Mountain State, Vermont's election guidelines meant that Democratic voters and anti-Trump Republicans could rally around Haley.

? Megan Stewart and Marina Pitofsky

Joe Biden wins California Democratic primary

President Joe Biden took another step toward the Democratic nomination with a win out west in California’s Democratic primary.

– Savannah Kuchar

Donald Trump wins Alaska’s Republican caucuses

With almost 40% of the expected vote reported, Trump had a resounding lead over Haley.

She wasn’t winning more than one-quarter of the vote in any district, and in the 12 districts that reported at least 99% of their expected vote in that first release, she was doing no better than one-fifth of the vote.

– Associated Press

Texas Rep. Dan Crenshaw ends evening victorious, despite rocky start 

Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, won his GOP House primary Tuesday, defeating challenger and political newcomer Jameson Ellis.

Ahead of his official victory, concern flared Tuesday evening that Crenshaw could lose his seat as he initially struggled to pull far enough ahead of Ellis.

Crenshaw is seeking a fourth congressional term in 2024. He'll face Peter Filler in the general election, a teacher who won an uncontested Democratic primary.

– Savannah Kuchar

Donald Trump snags win in California Republican primary

Donald Trump locked an expected win in California, as one of the last states to close polls on Super Tuesday.

Along with the presidential primaries, the states has its own area races to watch. A handful of candidates are competing in California’s “jungle primary” for one of two spots in the general election this fall, regardless of party.

California voters Tuesday also weighed in on a statewide ballot measure to address mental health and the homelessness in the state.

– Savannah Kuchar

Nikki Haley wins Vermont primary

Nikki Haley defeated Donald Trump in the Vermont Republican primary on Tuesday, notching her second victory in the GOP presidential nominating contest. Haley also won a race in the District of Columbia election on Sunday.

Vermont is a deep-blue state, and it doesn’t have party registration. That means a wide range of voters could participate in Tuesday’s primary, including Democrats and more moderate voters who oppose Trump.

– Karissa Waddick Marina Pitofsky

Donald Trump wins Utah’s Republican caucuses

In the night’s final call, the AP declared Trump the winner of Utah’s presidential caucuses at 3:39 a.m. EST with 65% of the votes counted and Trump holding 58% of them.

– Associated Press

Donald Trump declares victory by attacking Joe Biden ? and ignoring Nikki Haley

Donald Trump celebrated his series of wins on by talking more about Joe Biden than Nikki Haley.

"They call it Super Tuesday for a reason - this is a big one," Trump told supporters gathered at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida.

He didn't mention Haley by name, but focused on general election issues like the economy, border security and foreign wars.

Trump also praised his campaign team and volunteers, and urged them to get ready for battle with Biden.

"Nov. 5 is right around the corner," Trump said.

? David Jackson

What are delegates?

A delegate is an individual who will cast their vote for president on behalf of their state's residents.

Democrats have 3,934 delegates in this election, meaning the winning candidate must receive at least 1,968 to have a majority. Republicans have a total of 2,429 delegates this year, and the nominee will need to garner 1,215 delegates to be proclaimed the winner.

On Super Tuesday, 1,420 Democratic and 865 Republican delegates will be awarded.

? Maya Homan

Where is American Samoa?

American Samoa is an American territory located about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand.

In a surprising twist on Tuesday night, Joe Biden lost the territory to entrepreneur Jason Palmer.

? Marina Pitofsky

Joe Biden wins Utah Democratic primary

Joe Biden took first place in the Democratic Utah primary on Tuesday night. The president lost the red state by almost 20 points to Donald Trump four years ago in the 2020 presidential election.

– Savannah Kuchar

Jason Palmer defeats Joe Biden in American Samoa’s caucus

Jason Palmer, an entrepreneur and Democratic presidential candidate, has defeated Joe Biden to win American Samoa’s caucus.

It’s the president’s first defeat in the 2024 race for the White House, losing to a little-known candidate in the American territory.

It's not the first time American Samoa has produced unexpected results. In the 2020 Democratic race, it was the only contest won by billionaire Michael Bloomberg, the former New York City mayor.

– Associated Press

Donald Trump allies celebrate his win in Colorado

Donald Trump's allies and supporters are especially happy with tonight's primary win in Colorado ? after the state's Supreme Court once sought to toss Trump off the ballot.

"This one is particularly meaningful," said senior campaign adviser Jason Miller on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter. The crowd at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate cheered louder than normal when television screens flashed Trump's win in the Rocky Mountain state.

Trump's Colorado win came a day after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down efforts to disqualify him over the Constitution's insurrection clause.

Expect Trump to play up Colorado in his victory speech tonight - though he is probably an underdog in that state in the general election.

? David Jackson

Who is Joe Biden competing against in the Democratic primary?

Biden has swept every Democratic primary called thus far, but he's not running completely unopposed.

Many Democratic party voters across the country have also had the option to vote for author Marianne Williamson and Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn. Voters in approximately half of the Super Tuesday states can vote also uncommitted, an option that doesn't support a specific candidate.

?Cy Neff

Donald Trump and Nikki Haley battle neck and neck in Vermont Republican primary

Former President Donald Trump and challenger Nikki Haley are engaged in a see-saw battle in the Republican presidential primary in Vermont that has seen constant lead changes since the polls closed at 7 p.m.

With 106 of the 247 towns in Vermont reporting, the Vermont Secretary of State's website showed Trump and Haley within one vote of each other. Trump was in the lead, with 10,992 votes and Haley was trailing with 10,991 votes.

University of Vermont political science professor Alex Garlick said before the race that Vermont was Haley's best chance to win a state for the first time in her contest with Trump.

"Vermont has a history of favoring moderate Republican candidates, and she got the endorsement of (Vermont) Gov. Scott over the weekend," Garlick said. "I don't think that makes her a favorite, but she has her best shot."

?Dan D'Ambrosio

Read more: Trump and Haley fight in Vermont Republican primary

Joe Biden wins Democratic primary in Minnesota, and Donald Trump wins Republican race

Joe Biden was victorious in Minnesota’s Democratic primary, beating one of his underdog challengers, Rep. Dean Phillips, in Phillips’ home state.

Donald Trump also won another Super Tuesday state, coming in first in Minnesota’s Republican primary. The former president entered the day heavily favored to win the state.

– Savannah Kuchar

Donald Trump victorious in Colorado Republican primary

Donald Trump locked down another primary win, securing victory in the Colorado Republican primary.

– Savannah Kuchar

Ted Cruz ropes easy win in Texas Senate primary

Ted Cruz easily locked the Republican nomination in Texas’ Senate primary Tuesday.

The Lone Star State’s junior Senator, Cruz is running for a third term in 2024. He defeated two challengers on Tuesday in order to secure his spot on the November ballot.

He is expected to face Rep. Colin Allred, D-Texas, in the general election.

– Savannah Kuchar

Joe Biden notches win in Colorado Democratic primary

Joe Biden claimed victory in Colorado, winning another Democratic primary that puts him that much closer to securing the party nomination.

– Savannah Kuchar

Donald Trump and Joe Biden win big in the Lone Star State

Donald Trump beat Nikki Haley in the Texas Republican primary, and he will reap most of the state’s 161 delegates. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott endorsed Trump ahead of voting Tuesday, calling the president “the clear choice” in this election.

Joe Biden also won the Democratic primary in the Lone Star State, though he lost Texas to Donald Trump in the 2020 race for the White House.

– Savannah Kuchar

Donald Trump beats Nikki Haley in Arkansas Republican primary

Donald Trump has claimed victory in the Arkansas Republican primary, notching a quick win in the state over Nikki Haley.

– Marina Pitofsky

Donald Trump wins northeast contest, notching first in Massachusetts

Donald Trump took home another GOP primary win, coming in first in Massachusetts.

The state is home to a sizeable population of moderates, who have nationally shown favor toward the former South Carolina governor. But the former president led Haley by over 30 percentage points going into Tuesday's race in the Bay State.

– Savannah Kuchar

Joe Biden and Donald Trump declare victory in Alabama

Donald Trump beat Nikki Haley in Alabama’s Republican primary, picking up the state’s delegates and moving closer to becoming the 2024 GOP nominee.  Joe Biden also won the Democratic primary in the Southern state.

All eyes have been on Alabama in recent weeks after the state's Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos should be considered children. The decision rocked families across the country and people hoping to have children via the procedure, and it has added a new chapter to the national debate surrounding abortion and other reproductive rights.

– Marina Pitofsky

Joe Biden snags Arkansas Democratic primary

Joe Biden won the Arkansas Democratic primary, a widely expected win as he continues to pick up delegates across the country.

– Marina Pitofsky

Joe Biden wins Maine's Democratic primary

Joe Biden clinched victory in Maine’s Democratic primary. 

The president won the state four years ago in the 2020 presidential election, beating Donald Trump by nine percentage points.

– Savannah Kuchar

Donald Trump wins Maine, adding to list of Republican primary wins

Donald Trump claimed victory in Maine, where he led Nikki Haley by almost 60 points in polls ahead of Super Tuesday.

Once a Republican stronghold, Maine has tipped somewhat Democratic in recent years. Still, Trump support ran deep in the state’s GOP base.

– Savannah Kuchar

Joe Biden victorious in Massachusetts’ Democratic primary

Joe Biden captured an easy win in the New England state. Four years ago, the president carried the state by a wide margin over Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election.

– Savannah Kuchar

Which Super Tuesday states has Donald Trump won so far?

Donald Trump has declared victory in four states so far: Virginia, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Tennessee. Check out the The USA TODAY Network's results modules for county-by-county Super Tuesday results.

? Marina Pitofsky

Waiting for Republican results in Vermont

More than an hour has passed after polls closed in Vermont, but the Republican primary in the state still hasn't been called for Nikki Haley or Donald Trump.

Races in other states were called minutes after polls closed, though Vermont election officials haven't cited a reason for the potential delay in the state.

? Marina Pitofsky

Trump, Biden win respective primaries for Oklahoma

Donald Trump was victorious in the Oklahoma GOP primary, while Joe Biden won the state’s Democratic primary.

With both wins, the possibility of a 2020 presidential rematch only grows.

?Savannah Kuchar 

Trump meets with a potential donor: Elon Musk

Rather than campaign across the country, Trump has spent time recently meeting with groups of donors - one of whom included multi-billionaire Elon Musk.

The New York Times, which first reported the Sunday meeting, said Trump is seeking a one-on-one meeting with Musk, an outspoken critic of Joe Biden.

The Times noted that Musk, worth an estimated $200 billion, could nearly “erase what is expected to be Mr. Biden and his allies’ huge financial advantage over the former president.” Trump also faces massive legal bills in the coming months in his four criminal trials.

?David Jackson

Donald Trump and Joe Biden win primaries in Tennessee

Donald Trump won the Republican primary in Tennessee, and Joe Biden won the Democratic race quickly Tuesday night. A slew of polls in states across the country closed at 8 p.m. ET, so Trump and Biden are both expected to pick up additional support.

? Marina Pitofsky

North Carolina’s battleground governor race officially set

Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson will face Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein this November, after both candidates – each frontrunners for their parties – clenched their primaries in North Carolina.

A Trump supporter, Robinson has received backlash for controversial comments and hardline stances, including on abortion. 

He leads North Carolina Republicans’ efforts to take back the governor’s mansion from term-limited Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat. Cooper, a popular figure in the purple state, gave his endorsement to Stein ahead of Tuesday’s primary.

– Savannah Kuchar

Donald Trump locks victory in North Carolina Republican primary

Donald Trump beat Nikki Haley in the key southern swing state of North Carolina. 

The Tar Heel State has attracted national attention in this year’s election. Not only will North Carolina host potentially the most competitive gubernatorial race of 2024, the state will also likely be key to any candidate’s White House bid.

– Savannah Kuchar

Trump to speak to supporters around 10 p.m.

Trump guests who gathered in the gold-leaf ballroom at Mar-a-Lago cheered loudly when the television networks called Virginia for their candidate just before 7:30 p.m.

They’ll have to wait hours longer before hearing from Trump himself.

The current guidance is that Trump plans to speak on Super Tuesday at around 10 p.m., after more states have announced their results - unless he changes his mind, of course, and comes out earlier.

In the South Carolina primary on Feb. 24, Trump raced to the podium right after the polls closed to claim victory.

Tonight, it looks like he will take his time.

? David Jackson

Joe Biden victorious in North Carolina Democratic primary

Joe Biden claimed a win on Tuesday in North Carolina, a diverse swing state garnering national attention in 2024.

Along with a contentious gubernatorial race, Democrats are hoping to come away with a win in the presidential election in North Carolina. Former President Barack Obama carried the state in 2008, but North Carolina has gone for Republican presidential candidates ever since.

– Savannah Kuchar

Are Massachusetts Democrats showing out for Haley?

More than 15,000 Massachusetts Democrats switched their party affiliation to either unenrolled or Republican ahead of Tuesday’s primary, in a potential boon to Nikki Haley’s campaign .

“It seems to be because a lot of these Democratic voters were trying to figure out how to vote for Nikki Haley in the in the Republican primary,” said Debra O’Malley, communications director for the Massachusetts Secretary of State’s office.

While polls have showed Haley trailing Trump in Massachusetts, her campaign views the state as potentially winnable because of its large independent voting bloc. The surge of Democrats could boost her chances. Polls close in Massachusetts at 8 p.m.

?Karissa Waddick

Donald Trump wins Virginia primary

Donald Trump defeated Nikki Haley in the Old Dominion, days after Haley notched her first 2024 victory in neighboring Washington D.C.

It's Trump's first victory of the night, and he's expected to sweep states across the country.

– Marina Pitofsky

Who is running against Joe Biden? 

Biden is not the only Democrat on primary ballots on Super Tuesday but he is the only candidate on the left receive any 2024 delegates. The president has 206 delegates ahead of Tuesday polls closing.

Among Biden’s Democratic challengers are Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn. The multimillionaire launched his presidential bid in October attempting to pull moderate and liberal voters with disapproval for the president. Last month, Phillips announced major layoffs at his campaign staff citing a lack of funds but has persisted in his long-shot battle.

Another opponent is author Marianne Williamson, who announced her run for presidency in February 2023. Williamson’s campaign focused on forgiving student debt and confronting the climate crisis.

The “Peace Alliance” founder rejoined the race on Wednesday after she announced plans to suspend her campaign last month. Williamson said she rethought her decision after questioning Biden’s ability to beat Trump in the general election calling the former president a “fascist standing at the door.”

– Anthony Robledo

Joe Biden racks up Vermont’s delegates

Joe Biden won Vermont’s primary on Tuesday night defeating his Democratic challengers including Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn.

– Marina Pitofsky

Democrats revamp their campaign strategy to take on Trump

Democrats are preparing to face off against Donald Trump this fall, even as Nikki Haley remains in the race.

In Michigan, the Democratic Party was shocked by Trump’s narrow 11,000-vote win in 2016. They pledged not to let it happen again and revamped their campaign strategy to engage voters year-round.

They have swept the last three elections, including flipping the state for Biden in 2020. But it remains to be seen whether the strategy will work again this fall: Trump is ahead in recent state polls.

? Riley Beggin

Joe Biden declared victory in Virginia primary

Joe Biden has won the Democratic primary in Virginia, racking up delegates in the state that borders the nation’s capital.

– Marina Pitofsky

How many delegates does Joe Biden have?

Joe Biden heads into Super Tuesday as the clear frontrunner in the Democratic presidential primary.

Biden has 206 delegates headed into Super Tuesday, with a whopping 1,420 Democratic delegates up for grabs across tonight's elections. He also officially won Iowa's Democratic Caucuses on Thursday.

Biden needs to secure 1,968 delegates to win the Democratic nomination.

? Cy Neff

Alabama voters head to the polls two weeks after IVF ruling

As Alabama voters head to the polls, the repercussions of the state's Supreme Court decision are reverberating across the country. Two weeks ago, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos used in in vitro fertilization are considered children and are entitled to protections under the state’s wrongful death laws.

The blowback was immediate: The decision kicked off a frenzy among patients and doctors grappling with its implications for people attempting to conceive, often after years of struggling to have children or other complications in family planning. Democrats immediately began messaging on the ruling as further evidence of a GOP-led effort to restrict reproductive rights.

The Senate Republican campaign arm urged Senate candidates to "clearly and concisely reject efforts by the government" to restrict IVF. Candidates followed suit, as did most Republican lawmakers in Congress.

But when Democrats in the Senate put them to the test by asking them to greenlight a bill that would protect IVF at the federal level, many Republican senators said it’s an issue best left up to the states.? Riley Beggin

Joe Biden wins Iowa's Democratic Caucus

Joe Biden won Iowa's Democratic caucus, clinching a quick victory to kick off Super Tuesday's results.

? Marina Pitofsky

Chris Christie, Ryan Binkley, Asa Hutchinson: Which candidates have dropped out of the 2024 race?

On the Republican side, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum have dropped out of the presidential election.

Donald Trump and Nikki Haley are still competing against each other for the Republican nomination

On the Democratic side, President Joe Biden, Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., and author Marianne Williamson (who suspended and later unsuspended her campaign) are running.

? Sudiksha Kochi

Will Michelle Obama run for president?

The office of former first lady Michelle Obama has made it clear that she won't be throwing her hat in the 2024 race for the White House.

“As former First Lady Michelle Obama has expressed several times over the years, she will not be running for president,” Crystal Carson, director of communications for Obama's office, told NBC News in a statement. “Mrs. Obama supports President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ re-election campaign.”

Political observers for years have noted that the former first lady is a popular political figure who could bring voters together on the left and right. But she has repeatedly denied that she wants to run for national office.

? Marina Pitofsky

When do polls close on Super Tuesday?

Here's a look at when polls will close states across the country holding elections on Super Tuesday. Some areas may close polls earlier or later than these times, so check with your local election officials before casting your ballot.

• Alabama: 7 p.m. CST

• Alaska: 8 p.m. AKST

• Arkansas: 7:30 p.m. CST

• California 8 p.m. PST

• Colorado: 7 p.m. MST

• Iowa (No live voting. Republicans held their caucuses Jan. 15. Democrats are voting by mail.)

• Maine 8 p.m. EST

• Massachusetts 8 p.m. EST

• Minnesota 8 p.m. CST

• North Carolina 7:30 p.m. EST

• Oklahoma 7 p.m. CST

• Tennessee: Varies by county, but many polls close at 8 p.m. ET

• Texas 7 p.m. CST

• Utah: 8 p.m. MST

• Vermont 7 p.m. EST

• Virginia 7 p.m. EST

– Marina Pitofsky and Mike Trautmann

North Carolina primary going well so far, top election official says 

Keeping track of North Carolina and the impact of its new voting laws, a top election official said earlier Tuesday that things have been running smoothly thus far.

Karen Brinson Bell, executive director with the State Board of Elections, told reporters at a press conference on the morning of Super Tuesday there no major issues with photo ID requirements have been reported.

She said 216 people have voted using provisional ballots or ID exemption forms statewide. As for voters who submitted their ballots by mail, roughly 19,000 ballots have been counted across North Carolina.

While 49,000 mail-in ballots were requested, Bell said the actual number of submitted mail-in ballots can change if voters decide to vote in person on election day.

— Molly Wilhelm, Phillip M. Bailey

Super Tuesday critique: Donald Trump attacks Fox commentators ahead of election night

Trump took some time off from Super Tuesday preparation to criticize a pair of Fox News commentators.

Hard to say what exactly set off Trump, but he claimed on his Truth Social platform that Marc Thiessen "was wrong about me in 2016, and in 2020 I got more votes than any sitting President in history."

Trump, who otherwise used Truth Social to endorse other Republican candidates running on Super Tuesday, also looped former George W. Bush adviser Karl Rove into his media critique.

"Put on people who understand what is going on in politics," Trump said. "And while you’re at it, GET RID OF KARL ROVE!!!"

? David Jackson

Fact checking campaign ads for you

Campaign ads have flooded social media leading up to Super Tuesday as the remaining presidential candidates attempt to win over primary voters in 15 states and one territory.

These ads have spread widely – to more than a million screens in some cases – but many include false or misleading descriptions of past actions and policy proposals. Here’s a rundown of recent ads debunked by the USA TODAY Fact-Check Team:

• Claim: Haley plan cuts Social Security benefits for 82% of Americans (False)

• Claim: Trump proposed a 10% 'across-the-board' tax increase if re-elected (False)

• Claim: Haley opposed a wall on the US border (False)

• Claim: Post implies Haley reversed herself by pushing for gas tax hike as governor (Missing context)

• Claim: Biden was declared 'mentally unfit' to stand trial (False)

– Eric Litke

When will Super Tuesday results come in?

It depends on the state. Most polls are closing by 8 p.m. local time, but states across time zones are holding elections on Tuesday, from Maine to Alaska and California.

Check back here as the USA TODAY Network keeps you updated on races across the country.

– Marina Pitofsky

How many delegates are up for grabs on Super Tuesday? 

There are 865 Republican delegates up for grabs on Super Tuesday and 1,420 Democratic delegates.

The Trump campaign suggested in a memo last month that the former president will likely lock in the nomination on March 12, just one week after Super Tuesday, with 1,223 delegates. In a worst case scenario, the campaign estimates he will become the designated nominee no later than March 19.

A candidate must secure the majority of delegates, 1,215, to secure the Republican nomination.

- Rachel Looker

Will new election laws impact the outcome in North Carolina's primary? 

A trove of new election laws – including a ban on ballot drop boxes, new limits for mail-in ballot returns and required proof of voter ID at polls – will be tested in North Carolina on Super Tuesday.

The key swing state’s legislature was one of 14 states that passed additional restrictions last year. Some experts and advocates fear the laws could impact turnout on Super Tuesday, a test for the November general election.

– Savannah Kuchar and Chris Kenning

How many states vote on Super Tuesday?

The states holding primary elections on March 5 include: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont and Virginia.

One territory, American Samoa, will also hold a primary election.

Iowa's Democratic Party will also release the results of its mail-in voting on Super Tuesday.

- Rachel Looker

California Senate race: Barbara Lee, Adam Schiff and other Democrats compete

Tuesday will also determine which two candidates in the heated California Senate race will advance to the general election. California has a top-two primary system, meaning the two candidates who receive the most votes, regardless of party affiliation, will land on the ballot in November.

While Californians will choose from 27 candidates on Tuesday, the likely frontrunners are among three Democrats – California Reps. Adam Schiff, Katie Porter and Barbara Lee – and one Republican, Steve Garvey, a former baseball player for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The candidates are running to fill the seat vacated by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., who died last year.

Polling from the Institute of Governmental Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, last week found Garvey in a two-point lead over Schiff coming in at 27%. Schiff polled at 25% followed by Porter and Lee.

- Rachel Looker

What is a caucus?

Some states hold primaries, while others opt for a caucus. While a primary election is run by state and local governments, a caucus is run by political parties. A traditional primary election resembles the general election, with voting taking place via private ballot.

A caucus, however, involves voters dividing themselves into groups based on the candidate they prefer, and arguing for others to join them. At the end of the caucus, the number of members in each group determines how many delegates that candidate gets.

Up for grabs in each caucus and primary is a certain number of delegates. The delegates are sent to each party's national convention, and the candidate with the majority secures the nomination.

– Anna Kaufman

Joe Biden competes in Super Tuesday ahead of the State of the Union

Joe Biden is competing in more than a dozen Super Tuesday states before he delivers his 2024 State of the Union address to lawmakers and Americans across the country on Thursday.

The president is expected to address the issues dividing the nation, ranging from inflation to abortion rights and the U.S. southern border. You can read more about the history of the presidential address here.

– Marina Pitofsky

Alabama voters were sent wrong information ahead of election

A representative from the Montgomery County Board of Registrars confirmed Tuesday that a portion of Montgomery voters got the wrong voting information ahead of the election.

Registrar Mark Anderson said on Super Tuesday that a mapping issue led to voters in the 2nd Congressional District being told that they were in a different district.

The Southern Poverty Law Center reported that at least 5,604 voters received information that they were in the 7th Congressional District, instead of the newly established, majority-Black 2nd District. Of the 5,604 voters, 4,513 of them are Black, SPLC reported.

The SPLC became aware of the issue over the weekend. Some Montgomery County voters received postcards with the incorrect congressional district.

– Alex Gladden

Trump says he’s not worried about raising money for legal cases

In addition to running a presidential campaign, Trump is spending his recent days trying to figure out how to pay more than $500 million in civil damages for bank fraud and defamation.

In his Super Tuesday interview on Fox News, Trump said he will be able to raise the money - but he didn’t say how.

“I don’t worry about anything,” Trump said. “No, I don't worry about the money. I don't worry about money.”

-David Jackson

What states did Trump, Biden win on previous Super Tuesdays? 

In the 2020 presidential election, 14 states held primaries on Super Tuesday.

Trump, the incumbent nominee running for his second term, carried all 13 of the Super Tuesday states (Virginia cancelled its GOP primary). Biden won by slightly smaller margins, winning delegates in 11 states with four going to then-candidate Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. 

When Trump launched his first presidential campaign in 2016, 11 states held primaries on Super Tuesday. The former president competed in a crowded field of Republicans but ultimately won in seven of the eleven states. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas was declared the winner in three states and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio won one state.

- Rachel Looker

Will Nikki Haley suspend her campaign?

The former South Carolina governor has repeatedly said she has no plans to drop out of the 2024 race for the White House. But Tuesday has the potential to deliver one of the heaviest blows to her campaign, and speculation has grown about her next steps.

Would she join the long list of Republicans who have dropped out of the race and backed Trump as nominee? Or will Haley, seen by many as a moderate alternative to a Biden-Trump rematch, launch a third-party run?

Haley continued to dodge the first question, defiantly telling Fox News Monday afternoon that they should ask Trump whether he would support another Republican nominee instead.

- Savannah Kuchar 

What will Donald Trump do after Super Tuesday?

Since announcing his campaign in 2022, the former president has looked like a shoo-in for the Republican presidential nomination.

And while Super Tuesday can’t clinch the spot for him – a nominee needs 1,215 delegates, and Trump will still be a handful short even if he sweeps the country – Tuesday could very well boost him closer to the finish line.

But despite his popularity with his conservative base, Trump would also likely need to tap into support from moderates and independents in a general election. Trump appeared to be starting that shift after his first primary election victory in January’s Iowa Caucuses.

- Savannah Kuchar 

Facebook down on Super Tuesday

Facebook users may have encountered the social media site not working properly on the morning of Super Tuesday.

Around 9 a.m. ET, hundreds of thousands of users reported Facebook being down during one of the biggest election days of the year, according to Downdetector.

Many users were reporting being logged out of Facebook accounts with no ability to log back in. It's unclear when Facebook will be back online for some users as polls begin opening for primary voters.

-- Jonathan Limehouse

Stein: ‘Grab your photo ID’ North Carolina

North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein had some sage advice for voters flocking to the polls on Tuesday: bring a photo ID card.

That’s because the swing state has a litany of new laws that will be tested for the first time on Super Tuesday as Tar Heel State voters make a choice in one of the most closely watched gubernatorial contests this year.

Among them is a 2018 voter identification law that had been delayed by lawsuits. Another rule change also required mail-in ballots to include a copy of the voter’s photo ID.

In 2023, Republican state legislators went further by establishing a rule that any mail-in ballot received after the election wouldn’t be counted which Democratic opponents slammed because it kills the previous three-day grace period that allowed ballots to be counted as long as they were postmarked by Election Day.

Voting rights groups have warned such laws will be hard to navigate for some, and they are keeping an eye out for trouble.

Stein, who is favored to win the Democratic nomination for governor, has spoken against the new laws and resisted them in his capacity as attorney general. He is likely to face Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, who has spoken in favor of such laws as needed to protect election integrity.

— Phillip M. Bailey

What to watch in North Carolina’s governor’s race

North Carolina will serve as the battleground for a marquee gubernatorial race: a likely faceoff between a Southern Democrat and a GOP candidate who is popular with Donald Trump's base.

As millions are flocking to the polls for Super Tuesday, primary voters in North Carolina have a sharp contrast in the two party's leading contenders to fill Cooper's seat: Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein and Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson.

Once a reliable Republican stronghold ? long associated with the southern fried conservatism of the late Sen. Jesse Helms ? the Tar Heel State has become more competitive largely because of diverse population growth.

- Savannah Kuchar and Phillip M. Bailey

North Carolina primary to set the stage for 2024 battleground

Presidential candidates have been focusing their attention on North Carolina in the leadup to Super Tuesday, setting the groundwork for what analysts expect will be a hyper-competitive general election matchup.

North Carolina hasn’t voted for a Democratic president since Barack Obama flipped the state in 2008. But it represented Donald Trump’s narrowest margin of victory in the 2020 election when he won it by just 1.34 percentage points over Joe Biden.

Biden’s campaign is already setting its sights on an expected rematch, earlier this year installing a team of campaign staffers on the ground and committing Biden and other surrogates to appearing in the state.

Democrats dispatched Vice President Kamala Harris to Durham ahead of Super Tuesday to announce a $32 million investment from the American Rescue Plan Act, and Biden was in the state in January announcing a major investment in broadband internet infrastructure.

On the Republican side, Trump campaigned in Greensboro March 2 while his primary competitor Nikki Haley rallied supporters in Charlotte and Raleigh.

Polling places are open in North Carolina until 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

— Brianne Pfannenstiel 

Why is today called Super Tuesday?

Super Tuesday is the primary election day that decides the bulk of delegates for candidates in their respective parties.

The name “Super Tuesday” historical has been used to reference primary days when a significant number of states hold their primary elections, according to the National Constitution Center.

In 1984, the modern "Super Tuesday" began when March became the month to “frontload” the primaries.

- Rachel Looker

Donald Trump to hold rally Saturday in Georgia

The Trump campaign is starting to outline its post-Super Tuesday schedule, and it includes a weekend rally in a politically and legally significant state: Georgia.

The Saturday event takes place in Rome, Ga.

Trump held a similar rally in nearby Dalton, Ga., on Jan. 4, 2021 - two days before the attempted insurrection by Trump supporters that tried to block Congress' certification of the Electoral College vote that elected Biden.

Using that rally in part to protest the 2020 election, Trump basically urged Vice President Mike Pence and other Republicans to toss Biden electoral votes and re-elect him instead.

"People will remember the people who don’t support us," Trump said on that occasion.

Trump now faces criminal trials in Georgia and in Washington, D.C., over efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

-David Jackson

Iowa Poll: Trump dominates Biden in 2024 lead-up

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump would nearly double his margin of victory in Iowa over incumbent Democratic President Joe Biden if a rematch of their 2020 contest were held now, a new Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll shows. 

In an early test of the expected matchup, Trump leads Biden by 15 percentage points among likely voters, 48% to 33%. Another 15% of poll respondents would vote for “someone else,” 1% would not vote and 2% are not sure.

In 2020, Trump defeated Biden in Iowa by about 8 percentage points.

- Brianne Pfannenstiel

What states are involved on Super Tuesday?

The states holding primary elections on Tuesday include Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont and Virginia.

One territory, American Samoa, will also hold a primary election.

Iowa's Democratic Party will also release the results of its mail-in voting on March 5.

– Ken Tran

Trump calls for Republican unity - while blasting Haley

Trump began his Super Tuesday with a phone interview on Fox News and predicted Republican unity in the fall election - though he had few good things to say about Haley and her supporters.

"There's no path for her to win," Trump said on "Fox & Friends," adding that her continuing candidacy is only "hurting the Republican Party."

Still, Trump said that "our party has to come together because we have to beat the Democrats."

According to exit polls, many Haley supporters say they will not back Trump in the general election; that could create a drag that will undercut Trump's chances of defeating Biden.

--David Jackson  

Taylor Swift encourages fans to vote on Super Tuesday

Taylor Swift encouraged fans to vote on Super Tuesday but did not make a presidential endorsement.

"Today, March 5, is the Presidential Primary in Tennessee and 16 other states and territories," Swift wrote in her Instagram story. "I wanted to remind you guys to vote the people who most represent YOU into power. If you haven't already, make a plan to vote today."

"Whether you're in Tennessee or somewhere else in the US," Swift continued, "check your polling places and times at vote.org."

- Bryan West

Do Democrats vote on Super Tuesday?  

Yes – Democrats also vote on Super Tuesday.

The Democratic primary is not as consequential as the Republican primary because President Joe Biden is the incumbent candidate running for his second term and the likely Democratic nominee for the party in a much less contentious race for the nomination.

While Biden does face two Democratic challengers – Dean Phillips and Marianne WIlliamson – both have yet to receive any delegates during state primaries held previously. Biden has 206 delegates prior to Super Tuesday polls closing.

- Rachel Looker

What races are at stake on Super Tuesday – other than the presidential election?

It’s not just the presidential primaries that matter on Super Tuesday. Other competitive election are slated to happen in the states voting on March 5.

California, for instance, is seeing a fierce intra-party primary battle between three major Democrats for a solidly blue open Senate seat in the liberal state. California voters will also consider a ballot measure known as Proposition 1, which would address the state's mental health system and homelessness crisis.

North Carolinians will also vote in a gubernatorial primary on Tuesday, setting up what's expected to be a high-pressure race in the fall. North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein has emerged as the Democratic frontrunner, while North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson is expected to lead Republicans.

– Ken Tran

Candidates need to reach 1,968 delegates to win the Democratic nomination.

On Super Tuesday, 1,420 delegates are up for grabs, nearly three quarters of the delegates needed to become the party nominee.

- Rachel Looker 

Which Super Tuesday states have open primaries?

Most primaries fall into one of five categories: closed, partially closed, open to unaffiliated voters, partially open and open, according to the National Conference on State Legislatures. The critical distinction among the categories is whether voters who are not registered party members can participate in a party’s primary.

Open primaries allow voters to choose which party’s ballot to vote without having to disclose or register with that respective party. This gives voters the opportunity to vote across party lines. Six Super Tuesday states will hold open primaries: Alabama, Arkansas, Minnesota, Texas, Vermont and Virginia.

Five other states - Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, North Carolina and Tennessee – will be open to unaffiliated voters on Super Tuesday, meaning voters who are not registered to a specific party can participate in a party’s primary of their choosing.

- Kathryn Palmer and Rachel Looker

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Super Tuesday recap: Trump, Biden pick up big wins; Haley set to drop out