Biden wins Democratic caucuses in Hawaii, moves closer to securing presidential nomination

KAILUA, Hawaii — President Joe Biden emerged victorious in Hawaii's Democratic caucuses on Wednesday, moving closer to securing enough delegates to clinch the nomination for a second White House term.

With 99% of the vote counted, Biden leads all other candidates with 66% of the vote, further solidifying his frontrunner position after sweeping victories on Super Tuesday and pummeling his rivals. However, just over 1,500 residents cast ballots and "uncommitted" received 29.1% of the vote, the highest percentage total in any statewide contest this cycle.

The moves come as some progressive Democrats across the country have voted "uncommitted" to send a message to the Biden administration, as it grapples with an armed conflict between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian militant groups in the middle east.

Barbara Altemus, a 74-year-old filmmaker and writer, said that she voted "uncommitted" to send a similar message. She said that she would likely vote for Biden in the general election if his administration can negotiate a ceasefire.

"I'm not agreeing with Hamas. I don't believe in violence," Altemus told USA Today. "But if you look at the violence, neither side is right," I hope that Biden and the Democratic Party, wake up (to this). "

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According to Micah Kosasa, a district chair with the Hawaii Democratic Party, the contest, organized by the party, blended aspects of both a primary and a caucus.

"We used to have a (traditional) caucus," Kosasa said. "That is not the setup anymore that we are doing. It's much more of a poll where you just fill out a ballot and turn it in."

Party officials released the results after 10 p.m., withholding the delegate allocation as they awaited results from Lanai. Consequently, the distribution of Hawaii's 22 delegates remains pending.

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Jeremy Yurow is a politics reporting fellow based in Hawaii for the USA TODAY Network. You can reach him at JYurow@gannett.com or on X @JeremyYurow