WASHINGTON – Republicans in the nation’s capital will gather in a hotel this weekend and cast their ballots for the GOP presidential candidate they would like to see occupy the White House.
The contest may be the best chance for former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley to score a victory in a presidential nomination contest. She and former President Donald Trump, who has won every contest so far, headline the field of candidates competing in the District of Columbia’s Republican presidential primary, which will be held Friday through Sunday.
The event takes place in the run-up to Super Tuesday, when 15 states will hold Republican presidential contests on March 5, the most of any day on the primary calendar.
At stake in Washington are the city’s 19 delegates to this summer’s Republican National Convention, where the party’s nominee will officially be crowned. Haley, a former South Carolina governor, pledged to remain in the race after losing her home-state primary last Saturday.
This Friday, the first day of voting in the District of Columbia, Haley will hold an event with the D.C. Republican Party at the primary’s lone polling location, a hotel in the heart of downtown. The party says she is the sixth GOP presidential hopeful it has hosted this campaign season.
Trump won an uncontested D.C. primary during his 2020 reelection bid but placed a distant third four years earlier behind Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida and former Ohio Gov. John Kasich. Rubio’s win was one of only three in his unsuccessful 2016 bid. Mitt Romney and John McCain won the city’s primaries in 2012 and 2008 on their way to winning the GOP nomination.
The district's party-run Republican presidential contests tend to have a looser, more festive atmosphere than the typically staid environment of a state- or city-run election, where electioneering is banned within a certain distance from the polling site. At the 2016 vote, which was held in conjunction with the local party’s convention, voters faced long lines but were able to pass the time browsing tables of political and campaign merchandise before casting their ballots.
Washington is one of the most heavily Democratic jurisdictions in the nation. Democrat Joe Biden won the district in the 2020 general election with 92% of the vote.
A look at what to expect on election night:
PRIMARY DAY
The party-run Republican presidential primary will be held over three days, starting Friday and concluding Sunday. Voting concludes Sunday at 7 p.m.
WHAT’S ON THE BALLOT
In addition to Haley and Trump, the candidates on the ballot are Florida businessman David Stuckenberg and former candidates Ryan Binkley, Doug Burgum, Chris Christie, Ron DeSantis and Vivek Ramaswamy.
WHO GETS TO VOTE
Only voters registered in the district as Republicans may participate in the primary. The deadline to register was Feb. 16.
DELEGATE ALLOCATION RULES
All of Washington's 19 GOP delegates will be awarded to the candidate who receives more than 50% of the primary vote. If no candidate wins a vote majority, delegates will be allocated in proportion to the overall primary vote. Candidates must receive at least 15% of the vote to qualify for delegates.
DECISION NOTES
The state party is expected to announce the final vote results and the winner of the primary within an hour or so of polls closing on Sunday night. The Associated Press' winner call will be based on the state party’s announcement. Unlike other elections, there will not be partial vote results to analyze over the course of the night.
WHAT DO TURNOUT AND ADVANCE VOTE LOOK LIKE
As of Jan. 31, there were about 23,000 registered Republicans in the city. Turnout in most of the district's Republican primaries tends to be relatively low. At the party’s 2016 presidential vote, slightly more than 2,800 votes were cast. About 5,100 votes were cast in the 2012 primary and 6,200 in the 2008 primary.
Early voting is not permitted in the primary. Absentee voting is also not permitted, except for military and overseas voters. The state party says only two voters requested a military or overseas mail ballot in the 2016 primary.
HOW LONG DOES VOTE-COUNTING USUALLY TAKE?
There is only one polling location in the primary, the Madison Hotel. The state party is expected to announce a final result within an hour or so after voting concludes.
ARE WE THERE YET?
As of Sunday, there will be 134 days until the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee and 247 until the November general election.
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
FAQs
The District of Columbia Republican Party (DC GOP) is the District of Columbia affiliate of the United States Republican Party. It was founded on June 19, 1855, and is made up of registered Republican voters living in Washington, D.C. elected to serve as the governing body of the Party.
What do Republicans believe in? ›
The positions of the Republican Party have evolved over time. Currently, the party's fiscal conservatism includes support for lower taxes, gun rights, government conservatism, free market capitalism, free trade, deregulation of corporations, and restrictions on labor unions.
What party is Trump? ›
Who was the first Republican president? ›
By 1858, it had enlisted most former Whigs and former Free Soilers to form majorities in nearly every northern state. White Southerners became alarmed at the threat to the slave trade. With the 1860 election of Abraham Lincoln, the first Republican president, the deep Southern states seceded from the United States.
Why was the Republican Party founded? ›
In 1854, the Republican Party emerged to combat the expansion of slavery into western territories after the passing of the Kansas–Nebraska Act.
What are the principles of the Republican Party? ›
Republicans believe in liberty, economic prosperity, preserving American values and traditions, and restoring the American dream for every citizen of this great nation. As a party, we support policies that seek to achieve those goals.
How does the District of Columbia work? ›
District of Columbia Governance
Since the passage of the DC Home Rule Act on December 24, 1973, the District has been governed much like any state in the US. There are three separate, co-equal branches of government: legislative, executive, and judiciary, each providing checks and balances.
Why is it called the District of Columbia? ›
The creation of Washington
The new federal territory was named District of Columbia to honour explorer Christopher Columbus, and the new federal city was named for George Washington.
What are Republicans supposed to stand for? ›
The Republicans advocate reduced taxes as a means of stimulating the economy and advancing individual economic freedom. They tend to oppose extensive government regulation of the economy, government-funded social programs, affirmative action, and policies aimed at strengthening the rights of workers.
Which party is against guns? ›
Though gun control is not strictly a partisan issue, there is generally more support for gun control legislation in the Democratic Party than in the Republican Party. The Libertarian Party, whose campaign platforms favor limited government regulation, is outspokenly against gun control.
believing in equality and individual liberty. supporting private property and individual rights. supporting the idea of limited constitutional government. recognising the importance of related values such as pluralism, toleration, autonomy, bodily integrity, and consent.
Who is the favorite to be president? ›
Who will be the next US President? Former President Donald Trump and incumbent President Joe Biden are the election betting favorites for 2024. Current Trump election odds have him at -109 to win the Presidency despite being found guilty on all counts in a hush money case. Biden odds are at +122.
What do Democrats believe in? ›
From workers' rights to protecting the environment, equal pay to fighting the special interests, Democrats believe we can and should make life better for families across our nation. fairness, justice, and equality for all by standing up for all middle-class Americans and those struggling to get there.
Who is the oldest president? ›
The median age at inauguration of incoming U.S. presidents is 55 years. The youngest person to become U.S. president was Theodore Roosevelt, who, at age 42, succeeded to the office after the assassination of William McKinley. The oldest person inaugurated president was Joe Biden, at age 78.
What ethnicity was Abraham Lincoln? ›
Some people have thought that perhaps Abraham Lincoln was of German descent because his grandfather wrote his name as Abraham Linkhorn. It appears that while the family was of English heritage, they were influenced by the strong German presence in Rockingham County, Virginia.
What state is the birthplace to the most presidents? ›
Virginia. Virginia is the birthplace of eight presidents, including four of the nation's first five: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and James Monroe. The other four of the state's presidents came later: William Henry Harrison, Zachary Taylor, John Tyler, and Woodrow Wilson.
Who was the first Dark Horse president? ›
Often referred to as the first “dark horse” President, James K. Polk was the last of the Jacksonians to sit in the White House, and the last strong President until the Civil War.
Which is the largest and strongest political party in the world? ›
Parties with over 50 million members
| Rank | Name | Country |
|---|
| 1 | Bharatiya Janata Party Indian People's Party | India |
| 2 | Chinese Communist Party | China |
| 3 | Indian National Congress | India |
Under the Jacksonian era, the term "The Democracy" was in use by the party, but the name "Democratic Party" was eventually settled upon and became the official name in 1844. Members of the party are called "Democrats" or "Dems". The most common mascot symbol for the party has been the donkey, or jackass.
The Democratic Party typically supports a larger government role in economic issues, backing regulations and social welfare programs. The Republicans, however, typically want a smaller government that is less involved in the economy.
Is Republican red or blue? ›
In the United States, red represents the Republican party and blue represents the Democratic party in a winner-takes-all election. This dichotomization provides a simple visual representation of election outcomes, but it conceals the margin of votes by which an election is won/lost.
What does gop stand for? ›
GOP stands for Grand Old Party, a nickname for the Republican Party of the United States of America.
Is District of Columbia a red or blue state? ›
The nation's capital is overwhelmingly Democratic and has voted for the Democratic nominee by massive margins in every presidential election it has participated in, ever since it was first granted electors by the passage of the Twenty-third Amendment in 1961.
Is the District of Columbia liberal or conservative? ›
| District of Columbia Democratic State Committee |
|---|
| Membership (2021) | 403,124 |
| Ideology | Modern liberalism |
| National affiliation | Democratic Party |
| Colors | Blue |
8 more rowsThe Constitution dictates that the federal district be under the jurisdiction of the US Congress. Washington, DC operates as a state while also performing functions of a city and a county. We are treated as a state in more than 500 federal laws. We are leaders in a region of 4 million people and growing.
What is District of Columbia another name for? ›
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly called Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with Maryland to its north and east.
