The 4 biggest Super Tuesday surprises

Super Tuesday offered a few interesting surprises in an election cycle dominated by a seemingly predictable presidential race.

President Biden and former President Trump didn’t face any stiff competitive in their respective primaries, but that didn’t stop former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and a largely unknown Democrat from stealing at least some of the spotlight. 

Meanwhile, a protest vote roiled a Democratic primary, and an incumbent in North Carolina was unseated by someone who’s still in college.

Here’s a look at several surprises that Super Tuesday offered. 

An unknown Democrat beats Biden in American Samoa

Jason Palmer, an ultra-long-shot Democrat who was virtually unknown before Tuesday, clinched a stunning upset in American Samoa when he beat Biden in the U.S. territory’s Democratic caucus.  

Palmer, an entrepreneur and investor, delivered Biden’s first defeat in a Democratic nominating contest this cycle.

The U.S. territory’s results will hardly impact Biden, as he’s all but expected to win the party’s nomination. Still, Palmer’s win was seen as a notable embarrassment for the Biden campaign.

American Samoa’s Democratic caucus is expected to award three delegates to Palmer and three to Biden.  

Palmer acknowledged in the FAQ portion of his website that he was unlikely to beat Biden for the Democratic nomination and said his campaign was geared more toward ideas and solutions.

“Biden’s chances of a second term are hurting, but not because of my campaign,” he wrote in the FAQ section. “According to the Reuters poll this month, 56% of Americans polled disapprove of his leadership. Numerous other polls, including one at Quinnipiac University, reveal that more than 7 in 10 independents want other candidates to enter the 2024 presidential race.”

“I do not believe we have to concede the White House to a Republican Administration without having a robust debate that includes a positive, optimistic vision forward — we can and must do better for America,” he added. 

Haley wins her first state in the GOP primary

The former U.N. ambassador won her first state GOP nominating contest on Tuesday, winning the Vermont GOP primary in an upset victory against Trump.  

Prior to Tuesday, Haley had only clinched the GOP nominating contest in Washington, D.C. At the time of publication, Haley was projected to be awarded at least 9 delegates in the state out of the 17 up for grabs, according to Decision Desk HQ.  

At the same time, Super Tuesday made crystal clear that it’s largely still Trump’s GOP as he inches closer to winning the Republican nomination. Super Tuesday offered the last chance for Haley to blunt some of the former president’s momentum, and she failed to win in several other states that could have proved favorable for her like Virginia or Massachusetts.  

Yet Haley’s campaign wasn’t ready to call it quits yet. 

“We’re honored to have received the support of millions of Americans across the country today, including in Vermont where Nikki became the first Republican woman to win two presidential primary contests,” said Haley campaign spokeswoman Olivia Perez-Cubas in a statement. 

“Unity is not achieved by simply claiming ‘we’re united.’ Today, in state after state, there remains a large block of Republican primary voters who are expressing deep concerns about Donald Trump,” she continued. “That is not the unity our party needs for success. Addressing those voters’ concerns will make the Republican Party and America better.” 

A Gen-Z candidate delivers a surprise upset

A North Carolina Gen0Z candidate staged a notable upset against a longtime incumbent in a state House primary on Tuesday. 

Wyatt Gable, who’s attending East Carolina University as a junior, won the Republican primary against state Rep. George Cleveland (R) in the state House District 14. Election results from the North Carolina State Board of Elections showed that Gable won against Cleveland by 95 votes, with Gable getting 2,461 ballots while Cleveland received 2,366.  

Though state legislative races tend to be sleepier affairs, Gable’s win against the Republican state lawmaker, who was first elected in 2004, indicates the number of Gen-Z candidates that are growing in rank.  

Gable heads to the November general election against Democratic challenger Carmen Spicer.  

A protest vote does better than expected in Minnesota

Pro-Palestinian Democrats made their voices heard in Minnesota, where close to 45,000 people cast a vote for “uncommitted” in the Democratic primary in protest against the Biden administration’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war. 

Members of the party looked to replicate a protest vote during Michigan’s Democratic primary last week when 101,000 Democrats cast ballots for “uncommitted” against Biden, roughly 13 percent of the vote. Meanwhile, while fewer Democrats cast a vote for “uncommitted” in Minnesota, they made up a larger share of the vote in the primary at 19 percent. 

The “uncommitted” choice will be awarded two delegates in Michigan and four in Minnesota.  

While Biden still won handily in both states – getting 70 percent of the vote in Minnesota and 81 percent in Michigan – members of the party are looking to send a strong signal to the Biden administration over the international conflict.  

The U.S. has been involved in discussions around a potential temporary cease-fire, though a deal has not yet been struck between Israel and Hamas. Vice President Harris called for an immediate six-week cease-fire while in Alabama over the weekend.