Trump emerges victorious in Missouri caucuses; Michigan and Idaho still undecided

Donald Trump emerges victorious in the Republican caucuses in Missouri, one of three events on Saturday that are awarding delegates for the GOP presidential nomination.

Known for his strength in caucuses, the former president extends his delegate lead in the Republican caucuses in Missouri and at a party convention in Michigan. Idaho is set to hold its caucuses later on Saturday. Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley is still pursuing her first win.

There are no Democratic contests scheduled for Saturday.

The next competition is the GOP caucus on Sunday in the District of Columbia. This is followed by Super Tuesday, where 16 states and American Samoa will hold primaries, making it the largest voting day of the year outside of the November election. Trump is poised to secure the nomination shortly thereafter.

The Michigan Republicans, in their convention in Grand Rapids on Saturday, began allocating 39 of the state’s 55 GOP presidential delegates. However, a significant portion of the party’s grassroots force was absent due to a dispute over the party’s leadership that lasted several months.

Trump decisively won Michigan’s primary last Tuesday with 68% of the vote, compared to Haley’s 27%.

Michigan Republicans had to divide their delegate allocation into two parts after Democrats, who control the state government, placed Michigan among the early primary states, violating the rules of the national Republican Party.

The Missouri Republican Party conducted its presidential caucuses on Saturday, giving state voters their only opportunity to weigh in on the party’s presidential ballot for November.

Voters gathered outside a church in Columbia, the home of the University of Missouri, before the doors opened.

Columbia resident Carmen Christal expressed her anticipation for the experience of participating in the caucuses, stating she didn’t know her exact role other than supporting Trump at the event.

This year marks the inaugural run of the new system, predominantly managed by volunteers on the Republican side.

The caucuses were organized after GOP Gov. Mike Parson signed a law in 2022 that included canceling the planned March 12 presidential primary.

Despite calls from both state Republican and Democratic party leaders, lawmakers have not reinstated the primary. Democrats will conduct a party-run primary on March 23.

Trump previously found success twice under Missouri’s old presidential primary system.

Last year, Idaho’s presidential primaries were inadvertently eliminated due to cost-cutting legislation passed by lawmakers, leaving both parties with presidential caucuses as the only option.

The Idaho GOP will announce the results once all the votes are tallied statewide.

In the 2016 Idaho primary, Trump finished second behind Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas.