RUTHFULLY YOURS

Normally, when an incumbent who is popular with his party is running unopposed in a primary – or when the opponents are fairly marginal figures most voters have forgotten actually exist – there’s very low turnout for the incumbent. That was not the case with Donald Trump last week, on Super Tuesday. He had a blowout primary, with people turning out in unexpected droves to vote for him.

Trump voters knew that their vote wouldn’t matter in terms of Trump gaining the delegates for their state. They turned out to make a point: Trump’s voters are wildly enthusiastic. They don’t just talk the talk on social media, they walk the walk at polling stations, even when the results are a foregone conclusion.

The same pattern repeated itself on March 10’s Mini Super Tuesday.

Because of the publishing schedule, as this goes to publication not all of the votes have been counted in the various Mini Super Tuesday states. Nevertheless, there’s a pattern that cannot be ignored and it’s one that favors Trump – especially when compared to those states in which Obama showed up on the ballot as the 2012 incumbent (Missouri, Mississippi, and Michigan).

All of the information below is from Decision Desk HQ. If you hate numbers, the interesting facts can be found after the list:

Idaho:

Democrat Turnout (with 60.52% reporting):  96,732

Votes for Biden: 46,560

Republican Turnout (with 60.52% reporting): 99,048

Votes for Trump: 92,164

Michigan:

Democrat Turnout (with 87.95% reporting): 1,457,714

Votes for Biden: 769,437

Republican Turnout (with 88.53% reporting): 610,661

Votes for Trump: 597,096

Votes for Obama in 2012: 174,054

Mississippi:

Democrat Turnout (with 86.78% reporting): 247,288

Votes for Biden: 197,278

Republican Turnout (with 83.62% reporting): 221,929

Votes for Trump: 218,813

Votes for Obama in 2012: 97,304

Missouri

Democrat Turnout: 661,822

Votes for Biden: 399,474

Republican Turnout: 307,256

Votes for Trump: 301,630

Votes for Obama in 2012: 64,435

Washington:

Democrat Turnout (with 49.74% reporting): 1,026,102

Votes for Bernie: 335,498

Republican Turnout (with 50.41% reporting): 523,409

Votes for Trump: 523,409

North Dakota is a caucus state. Trump was not in the running today and Decision Desk HQ does not have a breakdown for Trump.

In Idaho, with 60.52% of the precincts reporting, more Republicans showed up to vote for Trump than Democrats showed up to vote for their primary candidate in a fiercely fought contest. (Admittedly, that may change as the last votes are counted, but it’s still impressive.)

In Michigan, Trump got almost as many votes as Biden did and almost three-and-a-half as many votes as Obama did when he was on the 2012 ballot as the incumbent.

In Mississippi, Republicans showed up to vote with almost the same enthusiasm as Democrats did. Trump got more votes than Biden did and over two times as many votes as Obama did in 2012.

In Missouri, Democrats were the more enthusiastic voters, but Trump still made an excellent showing, receiving almost five times as many votes as Obama received in 2012.

In Washington State, even though Trump was unopposed on the ballot, over 500,000 people turned up to vote for him, which is more than voted for Bernie or Biden, who are neck and neck with 49.74% of votes counted (with Bernie holding a 0.21% lead.)

What’s especially significant about the enthusiastic voter turnout for Donald Trump is the fact that, for weeks now and with increasing fervor in the last week, the media has been lambasting Trump for his allegedly failed response to the spread of coronavirus in America.

It appears that Republican voters are tuning out the media’s negativity. They like what Trump has done as president, and they have faith that he is capable of undertaking the administrative work to handle a severe flu season and of making the best decisions to help the American people.