Article by Alisha Sachdeva, TPT Staff Writer

“We can actually do something with our voices this year,” says Shreya Sokhal, a student at the University of Michigan, “which is why I’m getting out and voting on Tuesday, I know how important it is.” This year Michigan is one of the first states to hold their primary election, which makes them more important than ever in the presidential election. The primaries are happening on February 27th. Candidates for the Republican side most famously include former President Donald Trump and former Gov. of South Carolina, Nikki Haley, while President Joe Biden and Representative Dean Phillips will appear on the Democratic ballot. President Biden and former President Donald Trump are strong favorites to win, but the other candidates have shown no signs of dropping out.

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The primary election is only the first step of voting this year. Not all of the 55 delegates will be voted for on Tuesday, the reminder will be decided during a convention on March 2nd. Why did they add this confusing step to the process? Earlier this year, the Michigan Senate, which is blue, moved up the primary date, claiming it would “uplift the voice and vote of Michigan Democrats and Michigan Republicans,” (Sen. Jeremy Moss). The Republicans pushed back, introducing a “hybrid” nominating system.

The decision from Michigan to keep Trump on the ballot directly clashes with the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision to take him off, claiming he was unfit to run for president. The Michigan Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal from a lower court to take Trump off the ballot. Many of Trump's Republican values align with people “Up North” in Michigan; the majority of people there are guaranteed to vote for him. In 2020, Biden barely snagged Michigan at 50.6% popularity, meaning this year’s primaries will be just as, if not, more important than they were last time.

The other candidate on the Republican side is former Gov. of South Carolina, Nikki Haley. Haley lost to Trump in the New Hampshire and Iowa primaries, which makes Michigan an essential race for her. But if Haley is having back-to-back losses, why is she still in the race? The truth is, it is still fairly early in the primary process, which means that Haley still has time to catch up. She is determined to beat Trump, arguing that we should not have a president who is 77 and has multiple accusations against him.

On the Democratic side of the ballot, all signs point to President Biden. However, there might be a few concerns for him heading into this primary. Some activists and Arab Americans are urging Democrats to vote as uncommitted, to protest Biden's long-standing support of Israel over the war in Gaza. This could affect not only the results of the Michigan primary but also the ones that will come after it. Vice President, Kamala Harris, is scheduled to make some visits around Michigan in the days before the primary.

Biden’s primary opponent, Representative Dean Phillips, recently announced that he will not be running for re-election in Congress, regardless of the presidential election result. While polls show Biden as the lead for Tuesday, Phillips insists on change, saying that Democrats need younger voices. Many people are criticizing him for running against Biden, whom he had previously supported.

“With so much changing this year, us Michiganders have to get out and vote,” Sohkal emphasizes, “we can’t let this chance slip away.”

Sources:

CNN - Michigan Presidential Election Results and Maps 2020

AP News - Michigan Supreme Court will keep Trump on 2024 ballot

CBS - Fight among pro-Trump factions in Michigan undercuts Republicans in a key 2024 state

AP News - What to expect in Michigan’s presidential primary

AP News - Colorado Supreme Court declares Donald Trump is ineligible for the White House

Michigan.gov - Secretary Benson releases 2024 presidential primary candidate list

PBS News - As South Carolina votes in GOP primary, Trump seeks to defeat Haley in her home state

Washington Examiner - Five reasons Nikki Haley is still running for president

USA Today - Who is Dean Phillips, a Democrat running against President Joe Biden?