Arab America Picks a President: Super Tuesday--Interstate 95 Version
BY Fred Shwaery/Arab America Contributing Writer
New Yorkers have spoken. For more than a week, the spotlight was on New York. No other states conducted elections for a week before or after. All candidates have been barnstorming New York in anticipation of last night.
Donald Trump’s huge win last night brought him closer to the possibility of winning the Republican nomination on the first vote. Hillary Clinton’s win over Bernie Sanders makes the it appear that she might win the Democratic nomination.
We’ll see what happens next week.Now, they move on to another Super Tuesday on April 26. This one is the Interstate 95 version where the candidates will meet the voters in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. With these states being so close to each other, expect to see the candidates zigzagging from state to state. Which candidate will campaign in all five states in the same day?
There are a lot of delegates being selected by both parties next Tuesday – more delegates will be selected that night than in all of May. Then we have the final Super Tuesday on June 7 when California, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico and South Dakota voters from both parties go to the polls along with Democrats in North Dakota.
There are a few very interesting twists and turns popping up. Here’s a few:
The candidates are adding another – and very important – focus to their work. They’re wooing the delegates. They started seeking voters and they will continue to do so but now, they are realizing that they can and must attract and retain convention delegates. They are recruiting unpledged delegates by contacting them directly to get the to their sides.
Some of the states have convoluted rules for earning delegates such delegates awarded by the candidates’ performance. Win a number of precincts or districts by a certain percentage of voters and pick up more delegates. The campaigns see possible additional delegates by digging through primary and caucus results, requesting recounts, and working the vote totals hard to move miscounted votes into delegates. That’s one way that we’ve seen a candidate win the vote in a state and not win the delegate count.
They are pushing for rule changes in state voting and when they get to the convention. The “Stop Trump” movement successfully took away his delegates in Colorado via a rule change even though he had the most votes from the people. Expect more of this in other states and in the convention.
Republican candidates are trying to get the delegates to vote for them on the second ballot since it is likely that no candidate will go to the convention with enough delegates to win the nomination.
The last jurisdiction to vote are Democrats in the District of Columbia. That’s right, the location with “Taxation Without Representation” on their license plates. It’s not a state but surrounded by two states. It looks like a state but it’s not and it gets no vote for members of Congress. If Bernie Sanders catches Hillary Clinton, it could come down to the District. It will be a contest to see who can promise more to the District voters. Voting rights, no problem! You can have all the voting rights you want. Pick me and I’ll make it happen for you!
We saw what Arab American voters did to affect the vote in Michigan. Let’s see what you can do in the Northeastern States! The candidates are coming to you. Engage in the process and let them see us in the political process.
Register to vote at vote.usa.gov
Questions? Comments? Please send an email message to me at fshwaery@arabamerica.com