By JILL COLVIN (Associated Press)
WEST PALM BEACH, Florida (AP) — Donald Trump, who has significantly impacted the Republican Party during his time in the White House, challenged democratic institutions in the U.S. and put alliances abroad at risk, will lead the GOP in a third straight presidential election after securing the nomination on Tuesday.
By securing wins in Georgia, Mississippi, and Washington state, Trump has exceeded the 1,215-delegate threshold required to become the anticipated Republican nominee. He will officially accept the nomination at the Republican National Convention in July, at which point he may be both a presidential candidate and a convicted criminal. Trump faces indictment in four separate criminal investigations , and his first trial, related to payments made to a porn actress, is scheduled to commence on March 25 in New York City.
Trump’s triumph in the GOP primary signals the start of what will almost certainly be a highly negative general election campaign that will magnify the nation’s already intense political and cultural divisions. He will go up against President Joe Biden in the fall, setting the stage for a rematch of the 2020 campaign that few voters want to relive.
In a February poll conducted by the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs, 38% of Americans viewed Trump somewhat or very favorably, in comparison to 41% for Biden.
Trump is seeking to return to the White House after challenging democratic norms in the U.S. In 2020, he refused to accept his loss to Biden and promoted baseless conspiracy theories of election fraud for months, which were firmly rejected by the courts and his own attorney general. His behavior at a rally on Jan. 6, 2021, helped incite a group of supporters who subsequently violently attacked the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to disrupt the congressional certification of Biden’s victory.
It wasn't until after the insurrection, with storefronts boarded up in the nation’s capital and military vehicles stationed on the streets to prevent further violence, that Trump acknowledged the reality of Biden becoming president. Since then, he has described Jan. 6 as “a beautiful day'' and associated himself with those who have been imprisoned for their actions — many for assaulting police officers — referring to them as “hostages” and demanding their release.
During his 2024 campaign, Trump has shown uncertainty about other fundamental democratic principles. He has not committed to accepting the results of this year’s election and, in a December interview on Fox News, implied that he would act like a dictator from the first day of a new administration. He has aligned himself with autocratic leaders of other countries, particularly Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Hungary’s Viktor Orbán.
These alliances represent a departure from the traditional approach of the U.S., which has concentrated on reinforcing democracies abroad. However, a Trump victory could disrupt U.S. support for Ukraine following its invasion by Russia, and it could have significant implications for NATO.
While serving as president, Trump frequently criticized the transatlantic alliance as outdated and expressed regret that some countries were not spending enough on their own defense. He has continued to voice this criticism this year, causing controversy on both sides of the Atlantic in February when he informed a rally audience that he previously cautioned members that he would not only refuse to defend countries that were “delinquent,” but also “would encourage” Russia “to do whatever the hell they want” to them. Legal issues
Trump becomes the GOP’s candidate at a time of significant legal challenges, heightening the personal stakes of an election that could determine whether he faces the possibility of serving
time in prison . He is facing 91 charges in cases ranging from the New York hush money situation to his efforts to overturn the election and his hoarding of classified documents.Although the case in New York is progressing this month, there is considerable uncertainty about the course of the other, more serious cases, suggesting that they may not be resolved until after the election. The Republican Party’s convention rules do not addresswhat would occur if the expected nominee is convicted of a crime. A conviction would not prevent Trump from continuing to run, even though a felon has never been a major party nominee or won the White House.
If he were to win in November, Trump could appoint an attorney general who would dismiss the federal charges he faces, a remarkable possibility that would undermine the Justice Department’s traditional independence from the White House.
, plus interest, in that case — adding to the
$88.3 million he already owed writer E. Jean Carroll after he was found to beresponsible for defamation and sexual abuse . Trump has adeptly used the legal cases as a rallying cry, portraying them as a plot concocted by Democrats to prevent him from gaining power. This argument resonated strongly among GOP primary voters, among whom Trump remains a highly popular figure. He now enters the general election phase of the campaign in a competitive position, with voters frustrated by the current state of the economy after years of significant price increases, despite robust growth and low unemployment, as well as growing concern about the influx of migrants across the southern border. As he did successfully in 2016, Trump is capitalizing on immigration this year, using increasingly heated and provocative language that often energizes his supporters. The 77-year-old Trump benefits from perceived weaknesses in Biden's candidacy. The 81-year-old president is widely unpopular, with significant doubts among voters in both parties about his age and ability to serve as president for another four years, despite being only slightly older than Trump..
Biden is also facing difficulties in recreating the coalition that propelled him into the presidency four years ago, as some within his party, particularly younger voters and those on the left, have criticized his handling of Israel’s conflict with Hamas.
Trump is facing challenges
While these factors may work in Trump’s favor, he is encountering strong challenges in earning support beyond his base. A significant portion of GOP primary voters supported his opponents, such as Nikki Haley, who stopped running for president after the Super Tuesday races but has not endorsed Trump. Many of those voters have shown uncertainty about supporting him. He will need to change that if he wants to win the states that are likely to determine the election, like Arizona, Nevada, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin — all of which he lost in 2020.
concluded her campaign
after the Super Tuesday races but has not endorsed Trump. Many of those voters have expressed ambivalence about backing him. He’ll have to change that if he wants to win the states that will likely decide the election, such as Arizona, Nevada, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin — each of which he lost in 2020.
It's still unknown how Trump’s legal cases will be received in the general election, especially among suburban voters, women, and independents. Trump’s involvement in appointing the justices who overturned the constitutional right to an abortion could be a problem in swing states, where women and independent voters have a lot of influence. He’s also made several racist remarks, including a claim that his criminal charges increased his support among Black Americans, which are unlikely to win over more moderate voters. gained his support among Black Americans, that aren’t likely to win over more moderate voters.
However, Trump's quick path to becoming the nominee is the result of more than a year of campaigning by his team to persuade states to adopt favorable delegate-selection rules, including advocating for winner-take-all contests that prevent second-place finishers from collecting delegates. by his team to encourage states to adopt favorable delegate-selection rules, including pushing for winner-take-all contests that prevent second-place finishers from amassing delegates. This helped Trump become the presumptive nominee much earlier than in recent presidential elections. Biden didn’t win enough delegates to formally become his party’s leader until June 2020. During his 2016 bid, Trump won the needed delegates by May.
This year, Trump easily defeated his Republican primary competitors, winning the early voting states that usually set the tone for the campaign. The field included various well-known Republicans like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Haley, his former U.N. ambassador, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and Mike Pence, who served as Trump’s vice president. quiet work Initially, DeSantis was leading Trump in early state polls. However, he faltered in the national spotlight, failing to meet the high expectations, despite
$168 million in campaign and outside spending
. DeSantis withdrew from the race after losing Iowa — a state he had focused his campaign on — and endorsed Trump.
In the end, Haley was Trump’s final rival. She only won the District of Columbia and Vermont before ending her campaign. Donald Trump will be the GOP's candidate in a third consecutive presidential election after securing the nomination on Tuesday.. DeSantis dropped out of the race after losing Iowa — a state he had staked his campaign on — and endorsed Trump.
In the end, Haley was Trump’s last challenger. She only won the District of Columbia and Vermont before ending her campaign.
