President Joe Biden faced defeat in the American Samoa Democratic primary, losing to the relatively unknown candidate, Jason Palmer. This marks the first instance of an incumbent president losing a primary since Jimmy Carter in 1980.
Super Tuesday brought a series of victories for both Biden and former President Donald Trump, solidifying their positions as leading contenders for their respective party nominations in the 2024 presidential race. This outcome sets the stage for a potential rematch of the 2020 contest.
Despite their overall success on Super Tuesday, both candidates experienced setbacks in individual primaries. Trump, for instance, unexpectedly lost in Vermont to former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, while Biden faced defeat in American Samoa against Palmer.
The American Samoa Democratic primary, which saw 91 ballots cast, resulted in Palmer, a resident of Maryland, securing 51 votes compared to Biden’s 40. The stakes were relatively low, with only six delegates up for grabs. Palmer claimed four delegates, while Biden managed to secure two.
The last instance of a sitting president losing a primary occurred in 1980 when Jimmy Carter faced defeat in 12 contests against Democratic rival Ted Kennedy. Despite this setback, Carter ultimately won the Democratic primary but went on to suffer a significant defeat in the general election against Republican Ronald Reagan.
