Biden, Trump win 2024 Arizona Presidential Preference vote

PHOENIX - The Associated Press is projecting that incumbent President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will win the Democratic and Republican Party Presidential Preference Elections in Arizona, respectively.

Live updates: 2024 Arizona Presidential Preference Election on March 19

At stake for the two candidates were 72 Democratic delegates and 43 Republican delegates. Once the nominees are confirmed by their parties, they will appear on the November ballot.

Even prior to March 19’s vote in Arizona, Trump and Biden were considered to be their party’s presumptive nominees, as both have managed to secure enough delegates to win by March 12.

With both candidates having what appears to be a lock on their nomination, this will mark the first time since 1956 that the U.S. will see a presidential election rematch.

President Biden's campaign released a statement on their projected win in the PPE. The statement reads:

"Arizonans played a critical role in electing President Biden and Vice President Harris in 2020, and since then they have fought every day to make a difference for our families. Under President Biden, hundreds of thousands of new, good-paying jobs are coming to our state; we’re investing in infrastructure to combat climate change, while lowering health care costs for Arizonans and capping the cost of insulin for seniors. Meanwhile, Trump is focused on division and personal gain for him and his wealthy friends. Trump ripped away women’s freedoms by overturning Roe, and now he wants to go further, banning abortion and attacking birth control nationwide. Four years ago, Arizonans chose President Biden’s promise of freedom and a fair shot for every family over the chaos and dysfunction of Trump, and we’ll do it again this fall."

On his Truth Social page, Trump made a post that included a link to his website. The post reads, in all caps, "Thank you, Arizona - MAGA!"

Republican, Democratic voters weigh in

Pat Shackleford, an 84-year-old caregiver in Mesa, Arizona, said she voted for Trump in Arizona's primary to send the former president a message.

"I wanted to encourage him that the fight has been worthwhile, that more of us are behind him than maybe the media tells you," Shackleford said.

Jamie and Cassandra Neal, sisters who both live in Phoenix, said they were unenthusiastic Biden supporters until they saw the vigor the president brought to his State of the Union speech. It fired them up for the coming election.

"Beforehand it was like, ‘Well, he’s the only decent one there,’" said Cassandra Neal, 42. "After his address it was like, ‘OK, let’s do it!’"

Jamie Neal, 45, said Biden had been "way too nice" before and needed to match Trump, whom she described as "vicious."

"I hate to say it, sometimes you need to equal the lowness to get the person out," she said. "Sometimes you have to fight fire with fire."

(The Associated Press contributed to this report)