Biden wins Democratic primary in California

President Biden was projected to easily win the California Democratic primary, according to Decision Desk HQ.

Biden beats out challengers Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) and Marianne Williamson, who recently un-suspended her 2024 bid, plus a handful of other names on the Democratic ballot — cruising to victory in the state that boasts a whopping 495 delegates up for grabs for the national party’s convention later this year.

In terms of delegates, the Golden State is the biggest prize on the table amid the dozen-plus Super Tuesday contests, though the final tally may not be clear for some time due to California’s notoriously slow counting of its mail-in voting system. Democrats need 2,330 delegates to secure the nod. 

In the reliably blue state, Biden is beating former President Trump, the Republican front-runner, by 20-some points in hypothetical general election match-ups, according to polling averages from Decision Desk HQ/The Hill. 

Californians are also weighing in on the state’s closely watched Senate race, where three Democratic House lawmakers and a Republican candidate are battling for the seat left vacant by the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D). California has a nonpartisan primary system, and the top-two vote-getters will advance to November, regardless of party affiliation. 

California data was showing low turnout in the days leading up to Super Tuesday. On the Republican side, Trump faced rival Nikki Haley.