By Diana Glebova and Katherine Donlevy
Former President Donald Trump racked up a hat trick of Republican caucus wins, as he was declared the winner in the Idaho caucus Saturday night after winning similar victories in Michigan and Missouri earlier in the day.
The wins brough Trump one step closer to sweeping the map and securing the 2024 GOP nomination over his sole remaining challenger Nikki Haley — who has vowed to stay in at least through next week’s 15 Super Tuesday contests.
Trump has defeated Haley in every single primary and caucus thus far, with Haley failing to even get within single digits of her rival. After his wins he took a shot a the person who would likely be his general election foe, President Joe Biden.
“This is getting to be pretty wild and it’s a great honor. We have to let them know we’re coming for him. We’re coming on November 5 Joe, crooked, sleepy, Joe,” Trump said Friday at the “Get Out the Vote” rally at the Greater Richmond Convention Center in Richmond, Virginia.
Michigan
Trump, 77, scooped up all 39 delegates at the Michigan Republican Party’s caucus convention in Grand Rapids.
Trump beat Haley resoundingly in all 13 congressional district caucuses – winning more than 90% of the vote in each one of the contests and taking three districts unanimously, the Detroit News reported.
The caucus convention followed Tuesday’s Michigan primary, which Trump won with 68% of the vote.
The caucus was to determine who would receive 39 of the state’s 55 delegates to this summer’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. The unusual two-contest system was the result of a compromise between the Michigan GOP and the Republican National Committee after Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed off on an earlier primary date at President Biden’s suggestion.
In order to comply with RNC rules prohibiting additional contests in February, the Michigan GOP agreed to hold an initial primary with 16 delegates awarded, followed by the caucus for declared party members.
The Michigan Republican Party has been torn apart by infighting, with two factions laying claim to being the true leadership. Saturday’s caucus convention, held in Grand Rapids, was led by former congressman Pete Hoekstra. A rival convention, planned for Detroit, was to be led by former party chair Kristina Karamo — but was canceled after a Friday court ruling upheld the Jan. 6 vote that removed her as leader.
Missouri
Trump also bested Haley in the Missouri caucus, which determined how 51 of the state’s 54 delegates would be awarded.
All 924 caucus precincts went in Trump’s favor by 50% or more, adding 51 of Missouri’s 54 convention delegates to his tally. Three more at-large delegates will be free to vote at will under party rules.
The remaining three delegates will be determined by the state party chairman and Missouri’s Republican National Committeeman and Committeewoman, who can choose to vote for whomever they like.
Haley’s team announced her Missouri leadership team on Friday, saying the “elected officials, business leaders, and influential community members” will offer “valuable insight” as voters hit the ballot boxes on Saturday.
“Missourians have a choice in this election: more of the same, or a new generation of conservative leadership. We can decide whether the Republican Party will stand for fiscal conservatism and peace through strength, or if it will continue down a path of big government and isolationism,” Haley said in a statement Friday. “Our leadership team understands that choice, and I’m grateful for their support.”
All registered voters in Missouri participate in the state’s caucus, meaning Democrats and independents could have turned out in support of Haley — groups that she has relied on to put her within striking distance of Trump.
Idaho
Idaho’s registered Republican voters also overwhelmingly turned out for Trump in the state’s caucuses, hosted at over 210 locations throughout the Gem State.
Trump collected all of the state’s 32 delegates after winning 84.3% of the vote.
Haley only collected 13.8% and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — who dropped out of the race last month — won 1.3%.
Idaho has a winner-take-all caucus system, with a candidate receiving all 32 if they get above 50% of the vote. If Trump and Haley had both failed to reach that benchmark, the delegates would have been awarded proportionally.
After Saturday night, there are only two Republican contests — in the District of Columbia and North Dakota — before Super Tuesday, in which 865 delegates will be up for grabs across 15 contests.
Haley said she hoped for a “good, competitive showing” on Super Tuesday and said she would stay in the race “as long as we’re competitive” — but refused to disclose when exactly she would consider dropping out.