Both Biden and Trump Secure the 'Magic Number'... Presidential Candidates Confirmed (Comprehensive)

U.S. President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump each secured the delegate 'magic number' needed to officially clinch their respective presidential nominations on the 12th (local time). With the former and current presidents confirmed as the Democratic and Republican candidates respectively, the long journey toward the November 'rematch' is heating up in earnest.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

According to tallies by CNN and others, President Biden secured more than half of the total 3,932 delegates (1,966 delegates) by winning the Democratic primary in Georgia on the day. He is currently leading overwhelmingly in the Mississippi and Washington state primaries as well, with the final count nearing 2,099 delegates.

Former President Trump also comfortably surpassed the Republican magic number of 1,215 delegates needed to secure the nomination. Following the withdrawal of former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, Trump, as the sole candidate, has secured 1,228 delegates so far.

The Democratic Party held primaries on this day, known as the 'Mini Super Tuesday,' including Georgia, Mississippi, Hawaii, Washington state, the Northern Mariana Islands territory, and overseas voters, with some areas still counting votes. The Republican Party also held primaries in Georgia, Mississippi, Hawaii, and Washington state on the same day.

Thus, regardless of the remaining primary results, President Biden and former President Trump have each met the minimum conditions to be officially nominated as presidential candidates at the Democratic National Convention in August and the Republican National Convention in July, respectively. CNN reported, "The rematch between President Biden and former President Trump has been formalized," adding, "Now their presidential campaigns will take place nationwide."

Local media are particularly noting that the campaign period leading up to the November rematch will span about eight months. According to CNN, the average campaign period since 1972 has been less than six months. Considering this, this election will be one of the longest presidential contests in modern U.S. history. Former Ambassador Haley withdrew from the Republican candidacy 244 days before the November election. Additionally, this election marks the first rematch since 1956. It is the first time in 112 years since 1912 that a former president has challenged a sitting president to block their reelection.

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

Both President Biden and former President Trump are already focusing on the general election rather than the primaries. Immediately after securing the magic number, President Biden stated in a press release, "Democratic voters have once again placed their trust in me at a time when Trump's threat has grown greater than ever," adding, "Now voters must choose the future of this country." Targeting former President Trump, he questioned, "Will we stand up to defend democracy, or will we let others tear it down?" and urged support by saying, "I believe the American people will choose to move forward into the future." Earlier, in last week's congressional State of the Union address, he mentioned his 'predecessor (Trump)' more than 12 times, criticizing him on various issues including abortion, taxes, trade, and healthcare.

Former President Trump also criticized President Biden immediately after securing the magic number on Truth Social, saying, "We are facing the worst, most incompetent, corrupt, and destructive president in American history (Biden)," and added, "Millions of people are invading our country (across the border). High interest rates and inflation are choking our middle class." He emphasized, "The stock market is rising on polls showing that we (the Republicans) will win the 2024 election," and declared, "We will take back the once-great nation. We will make America great again."

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

Before the primaries, the two visited the battleground state of Georgia simultaneously on the 9th, engaging in sharp exchanges against each other. At that time, President Biden criticized Trump as "a threat to democracy who wants to become a dictator," while former President Trump retorted, "Putin (Russian President Vladimir Putin) threatens us daily with nuclear weapons because he knows the president (Biden) is incompetent and a fool."

The battleground state of Georgia was where President Biden narrowly defeated former President Trump by less than 12,000 votes in the 2020 election. Due to its demographic characteristics, including suburbs, Black, and Hispanic populations, it is considered a region where each candidate's strengths and weaknesses are clearly reflected, drawing significant attention from local media.

The Washington Post (WP) analyzed, "The vote in Georgia provided several clues about the political strengths and weaknesses of the two men." In some counties in the Atlanta suburbs, it was confirmed that former Ambassador Haley received a considerable number of votes despite her recent withdrawal from the race. Former President Trump is facing a criminal trial in Georgia on charges related to election interference. This judicial risk is expected to be the biggest threat to Trump in the presidential election as well.

For President Biden, in addition to concerns about his advanced age, which is considered a major weakness, the primaries have confirmed worries about defections within the Democratic base. Following Michigan, in states like Minnesota, there was a double-digit number of 'uncommitted' votes mainly from Arab American voters protesting the Biden administration's support for Israel. The New York Times (NYT) assessed, "If he loses voter support, the coalition that helped President Biden oust former President Trump in 2020 could weaken," adding, "He is showing weaknesses among his existing base, including young voters, Black voters, and Hispanic voters."