As President Joe Biden cruised through the Democratic primaries on Super Tuesday, his campaign faced a mounting challenger: a significant number of “uncommitted” votes in protest of his handling of the Israel–Hamas war.
Several Super Tuesday states included “uncommitted” options on their ballots, gathering about 254,017 votes as of Wednesday morning, according to Associated Press totals. Voters took substantial portions of the totals in North Carolina, where Biden was the sole candidate on the Democratic ballot, gathering 88,021 votes, or 12.7%, compared to the president’s 606,302 votes, or 87.3%, with 97% of the votes counted, per the AP. “Uncommitted” voters turned out in Massachusetts, too, totaling 9.4% of the vote, compared to Biden’s 82.8%, with 85% of the votes counted.
Biden bested Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) in the congressman’s home state, earning 70.6% of the vote with 99% of the votes counted. Phillips, who gathered 7.8% as of Wednesday morning, came in third place behind “uncommitted” which had 18.9% of the support, or 45,942 votes. Alabama, Colorado, Tennessee, and Iowa all had “uncommitted” options on their ballots that fared better than Phillips and self-help author Marianne Williamson.
That is all in addition to the more than 100,000 Michiganders, 13.2% of Democratic primary voters, who selected “uncommitted” last week. Listen to Michigan, a leading anti-Biden group, urged Democratic voters to select that option instead of staying home or casting their ballot for a third-party candidate. Dissatisfied Michigan voters are expected to earn two delegates to represent them at the Democratic National Convention this summer in Chicago and at least one as a result of Minnesota’s efforts on Tuesday, according to Listen to Michigan. Combined with Super Tuesday’s results, more than 354,000 votes have been cast for “uncommitted” instead of Biden.
“This super Tuesday, states across the country are following suit after a major victory for the uncommitted vote in Michigan last Tuesday,” Listen to Michigan wrote on X before polls closed Tuesday. “In efforts to warn Biden, he must change course on Gaza. The growing movement shows now is the time to listen.”
Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley ended her presidential campaign on Wednesday, setting Biden and former President Donald Trump up for a rematch in November. Biden’s support for Israel’s war in Gaza amid a growing humanitarian crisis has been at the forefront of his reelection bid. The president recently said Israelis had been engaging in discussions regarding a six-week ceasefire in Gaza, while Vice President Kamala Harris on Sunday urged Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire.
