Michigan’s primary elections are set to take place on Feb. 27, 2024.
The race for the president has heated up in recent weeks, with several candidates dropping out or falling out in the polls. The two nomination spots remain unconfirmed. President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will likely battle in the fall, though other candidates remain in the race.
Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson released the 2024 presidential primary ballot for Michigan. A list of all candidates are available for the public to look at. These candidates are generally advocated by the national news media to be potential candidates for president.
Along with the candidates listed on the ballot, voters can choose an “uncommitted” option and fill in another choice. The Democratic Party lists Biden, Dean Phillips and Marianne Williamson on the ballot. Williamson visited Oakland University last fall. Her event covered topics such as America’s economic system and student loan debt.
The list of Republican candidates is longer. Doug Burgum, Chris Christie, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Asa Hutchinson, Vivek Ramaswamy and Trump are all listed. However, this information is outdated- Ron DeSantis dropped out of the presidential race on Jan. 21 and endorsed Trump.
Some voters have concerns over Trump’s legal issues, as they have taken the media by storm. Concerns over the legitimacy of his candidacy loom large.
“Two months ago, I made clear that under Michigan law, anyone generally advocated by the national news media to be a candidate for the Republican or Democratic nomination for president is listed on the ballot for the Feb. 2024 primary unless a court rules otherwise,” Benson said.
Michigan is vital to the presidential election this fall. Donald Trump shockingly won the state in 2016 against projections. But in 2020, he lost the state. The Michigan Supreme Court has ruled to keep Trump in the 2024 election. The court refused to review lower court decisions confirming that Trump can stay on the ballot despite the insurrection clause many lawyers have brought up.
The Iowa and the New Hampshire primaries were vital to Republican candidates. Haley and Trump were left as the last two major candidates. The South Carolina primaries will take place on Feb. 3 for the Democratic primary and Feb. 24 for the Republican primary.
Although unlikely, within this time it is possible that Haley could gain more traction. She faces a daunting and tough battle ahead — this is her make-or-break moment. Being the governor of South Carolina, it seems that this state would prove to be an easy win for her, but polling suggests otherwise. Donald Trump is polling 30 points ahead of Haley in her home state.
“Nikki’s got the courage to continue on. She would have liked to have done better in both New Hampshire and Iowa. But it is what it is, and she’s willing to put the work in. And I’m with her,” Representative Ralph Norman said.
The race is in full swing, as voters in the Republican party have to choose between Haley or Trump. Voters who supported DeSantis are disappointed by the once-promising candidate and are left to choose between the remaining candidates. Joe Biden remains a strong candidate for the Democratic nomination, but many express concern over his old age.
