Biden, Trump grab votes
Voters navigated curfews and health concerns in a slate of primary contests on Tuesday that tested the nation's ability to host elections amid dueling crises and moved Joe Biden closer to formally clinching the Democratic presidential nomination.
Pennsylvania was among nine states and the District of Columbia that held elections, including four that delayed their April contests because of the coronavirus outbreak. With no real competition, Biden and President Donald Trump easily won their respective primary elections in Indiana, Rhode Island, Maryland, New Mexico and the night's biggest prize: Pennsylvania. Biden also won South Dakota.
Catherine Lalonde, county Democratic Committee chairwoman, said Biden and Trump have different approaches to dealing with the nationwide protests and riots that grew from the death of George Floyd, a black man who died May 25 while being arrested by police in Minneapolis.
She said Biden wants to unite people to deal with racism, but Trump prefers to use military force against citizens instead of finding a solution.
“Biden wants to bring people together and heal, and deal with systemic racism,” Lalonde said. “Trump talks about using the military against our own citizens instead of getting to the root cause.”
Al Lindsay, County Republican Party chairman, could not be reached for comment.With 60.4 percent of votes in Pennsylvania counted Tuesday night, Trump received 450,894 votes, or 93.9 percent of the total votes, according to unofficial results from the Pennsylvania Department of State. Roque De La Fuente received 7,259 votes, 1.5 percent, and William F. Weld received 21,786 votes, 4.5 percent.Biden received 367,850 votes, 75.8 percent of the total votes, in Pennsylvania, according to unofficial results. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders received 95,826, 19.7 percent. Tulsi Gabbard received 21,221 votes, 4.3 percent, according to unofficial result.Voters waited in long lines that brushed up against curfews in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia, two cities rocked by protests over Floyd's death.
