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Super Tuesday can mean big gains for U.S. presidential candidates [1]

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Date: 2024-03-01 15:02:56+00:00

This year’s U.S. presidential campaign has taken most of the “super” out of Super Tuesday, but the day is still an important step in choosing the next leader of the United States.

On Tuesday, March 5, 15 states and the U.S. territory American Samoa will have contests to choose one presidential nominee each for the Republican and Democratic parties. And Iowa will report the results of its Democratic vote-by-mail primary. It will be the biggest pot of delegates decided on one day in all of election season. Because of decisions made by each state and each party, some states have a contest just for one party on Super Tuesday, holding it for the other party on a different day. (Independent candidates and candidates from other political parties go through a different set of challenges to get on the November ballot.)

The Democratic and Republican parties select their presidential and vice presidential candidates every four years at a party convention to which each state (and several U.S. territories) sends delegates. States and territories hold votes — through primary elections or in-person meetings called caucuses — between January 15 and June 8.

Half the Republican delegates and 36% of the Democratic delegates will be decided on Super Tuesday this year, according to Ballotpedia, an online political encyclopedia. (Party rules affect how many delegates each state sends to a convention.)

Barbara Norrander, emeritus professor in the School of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Arizona, says that although some other countries also have primary systems, the U.S. system may be the most complicated.

Super Tuesday’s power, she says, is in the sheer number of delegates up for grabs that day. The results can focus long-shot candidates on realities: Typically, many drop out soon after Super Tuesday, Norrander says.

Super Tuesday usually narrows the field of contenders for other reasons too. Some candidates find it more difficult to attract volunteers or media coverage or to raise campaign funds if they don’t do well on the day.

This year, most of the field was winnowed early. Still, political experts say Super Tuesday remains an important way for candidates to amass enough convention support to ward off any late entrants into the campaign. (And winning helps candidates to attract donations and media attention.)

Power in numbers

It is not a coincidence that so many states hold primaries on the same day. Southern states originally banded together in the 1970s to draw candidates and attention to their region. This year the more geographically diverse states and territories will cast votes, from California to Maine, and from Texas to Minnesota.

Many of the Super Tuesday states and territories have small populations and few delegates. They hope that by holding their contests on the same day as some of the bigger states, they gain greater influence on selecting the next U.S. president.

Winning big states early in the process sets candidates up to build unstoppable momentum, according to Scott McLean, professor of political science at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut.

Although this year’s Super Tuesday will be less dramatic than usual, the drama of the day is likely to return. Many skilled politicians have stayed on the bench this election cycle, McLean says. “You are going to see a lot of them running in four years. Super Tuesday will be a major moment.”

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[1] Url: https://share.america.gov/super-tuesday-offers-big-gains-for-us-presidential-candidates/

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