Trump wins Missouri caucus, dominates Michigan returns

Donald Trump has won the Missouri Republican caucuses and dominated early caucus reporting in Michigan’s nominating contest.

The Associated Press called the Missouri race for Trump as votes were still being tallied on Saturday but showed the former US president far ahead of Nikki Haley, his last remaining rival for the Republican presidential nomination.

In Michigan, Trump had trounced Haley in the 12 districts reporting caucus results, according to a tally reported by the state Republican Party. Only one district had not yet completed its vote.

Michigan will be fiercely fought in November’s general election, a likely rematch between Trump and President Joe Biden, a Democrat.

More than 1000 party insiders participated in the presidential caucus in the western Michigan city of Grand Rapids, where they were choosing delegates for Trump or former UN Ambassador Haley for the party’s national nominating convention in July.

Republicans were also holding caucuses in Idaho on Saturday, one of the final contests for Haley to alter the course of the race prior to Super Tuesday, the biggest day in the primaries, when 15 states and one territory will vote.

With victories in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, the US Virgin Islands, South Carolina and now Missouri under his belt, Trump is far and away the frontrunner in the race, with Haley hanging on thanks to support from donors keen for an alternative to the former president.

For this election cycle, Michigan Republicans devised a hybrid nominating system, split between a primary and a caucus.

Trump won the primary convincingly on Tuesday, securing 12 of 16 delegates up for grabs. He looked set to take all of Michigan’s remaining 39 delegates at stake on Saturday.