Biden, Trump wind down primary election season with easy victories in 4 states

By Darren Lyn

HOUSTON, US (AA) - US President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump handily won primary elections Tuesday in the states of Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico and South Dakota, according to media outlets.

This was Trump's first time appearing on the ballot since his historic felony conviction in the New York City hush money trial last week.

The former president won hands down in New Jersey with 98% of the vote, where he ran unopposed.

Biden also easily won in New Jersey with 88% of the tally, even though nearly 9% of voters checked off the "uncommitted" box at the polls.

Trump prevailed in New Mexico with 84% of the tally, where voters could still opt to vote for rivals who had dropped out of the Republican presidential race.

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who ended her presidential bid in March and announced two weeks ago that she would vote for Trump in the Nov. 5 presidential election, still received nearly 9% of the vote in New Mexico.

Biden took home the win in New Mexico with 84%, but again gave up 9% to the "uncommitted" ballot option.

Trump won the Montana primary with 87% of the vote but relinquished 10% of the tally to the "no preference" choice at the polls.

Biden had his largest victory of the night in Montana, taking home 91% of the vote.

Biden received the majority of the votes in South Dakota, with 73%. But he gave up 12% of the tally to little-known challenger Marianne Williamson, a political activist and bestselling author, and 11% of the vote to Minnesota Congressman Dean Phillips, another outlier Democratic candidate.

Trump was the only Republican candidate in South Dakota and was certified as the winner by that state's Republican party.

Washington, D.C. also had its Democratic primary on Tuesday, where Biden was victorious with 87% of the vote.

Only a few contests remain until the primary season wraps up. These elections are just formalities, as both Biden and Trump have long-since acquired the necessary delegates needed for their respective parties' nominations.

Trump now has 2,243 delegates, which is nearly double the 1,215 delegates needed. He will formally accept his party's nomination at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin which runs from July 15-18.

Biden has 3,864 delegates, which is also nearly twice the amount of the 1,968 delegates required. He will officially receive his party's nomination at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois which takes place Aug. 19-22.