Trump Triumphs in Idaho

The former President Donald Trump continued his unwavering advance to the Republican presidential nomination with an overwhelming victory on March 2 in the Idaho Republican caucus. 

Trump pulled 85 percent to the runner-up Nikki Haley’s 13.1 percent. This is just the latest in an impressive series of primary and caucus wins leading up to Super Tuesday.

In the 2016 Idaho Republican primary, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) won with 45 percent of the vote, with Donald Trump coming in second with 28 percent; they received 100,942 votes and 62,478 votes, respectively. In the 2024 Idaho Republican caucus, however, Trump received over 33,000 votes and Haley got just over 5,000. 

This drop in voters prompted some questions. One X user wrote, 

As was the case in Missouri earlier in the day, the race in Idaho was a caucus, and not a primary as it had been in years prior. In an effort to consolidate elections and save money, the Idaho legislature voted last year to eliminate the Republican primary. 

Some Idahoans were frustrated with the voting process of the caucus, blaming Idaho GOP Chairwoman Dorothy Moon for the ensuing confusion. Voters were under the impression that they would possibly have to wait 90 minutes to cast their vote (even though the actual process ended up being much faster), and that possibly dissuaded some from braving the cold to cast their ballots. 

Democrats will have their primary election in Idaho on May 23, 2024.