Former US President Donald Trump has defeated Nikki Haley, his last remaining challenger in the 2024 Republican race to the White House, in the party primary held in the state of Michigan, according to the latest projections.
Meanwhile, President Joe Biden has also secured an easy win in the Democratic primary in Michigan, defeating Minnesota Representative Dean Phillips.
This is Trump’s latest win after he swept all the other 2024 Republican primary contests held in five states so far — Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, the US Virgin Islands and South Carolina.
On February 24, he defeated the Indian-American Haley in South Carolina, which is her home state.
The media projections revealed that Haley, a former US Ambassador to the UN, came in a distant second in Michigan with about 28 per cent, while Trump was leading by more than 66 per cent.
Trump’s winning streak is strengthening his position to secure the Republican nomination for the presidential election in November this year.
The Michigan primary took place less than a week before the crucial “Super Tuesday” on March 5 when Republican voters in 15 states and one US territory will cast ballots.
The 77-year-old former President currently faces four criminal indictments, including on charges of conspiracy and rigging of votes in the 2020 presidential election which he lost to Democrat Joe Biden.
Trump’s first criminal trial is scheduled to begin in New York City on March 25.
As of Biden, Representative Dean Phillips is one of the President’s one significant opponents left in the Democratic primary race. According to the projections, Biden was leading in Michigan by nearly 80 per cent, while Phillips was at a distant 2 per cent.
Michigan is one of the key swing states which will be contested by candidates of the two parties in November. Trump won in 2016 which secured his victory in the presidential election that year. But Biden grabbed the state in 2020.