VIRGINIA, USA — The Associated Press has projected that former President Donald Trump has secured Virginia's delegate votes in his bid to be the Republican nominee for president come November.
The commonwealth is the latest state to vote for the former president after a string of wins, including in North Dakota's primary Monday. Virginia was one of 15 states, along with American Samoa, participating in Super Tuesday, when the highest number of states hold presidential primary elections all on the same day.
Trump's win comes after the Supreme Court ruled that he could stay on the ballot in 2024, rejecting state attempts to ban the Republican former president over the January 6 Capitol riot.
Trump visited Richmond earlier this month on the campaign trail. While speaking to the crowd, he focused on immigration and border policies.
"We've got 15, 16 million people [who] came in. And they [are] from prisons, jails, mental institutions. They're terrorists. They're drug dealers," said Trump. "We are really going to be a different country. We have to have it stopped."
Trump added, "If I'm re-elected, instead of sending Texas a restraining order, I will send them reinforcement."
The Virginia win brings Trump that much closer to the 1,215 delegates a Republican presidential candidate needs to secure the nomination ahead of the general election in November. Heading into Super Tuesday, Trump was leading with 276 delegates, according to CBS News. There were 865 Republican delegates up for grabs Tuesday, though, including Virginia's 48.
In Arlington, the Arlington GOP held a watch party at O'Sullivan's Irish Pub.
"Even in Arlington, Republicans are fired up and ready to go ready to beat Joe Biden and we have a tremendous opportunity this year to make a stark case between Donald Trump and Joe Biden," said Matthew Hurtt, the Chairman of the Arlington GOP.
Voters who attended the event told WUSA9 several issues brought them out to the polls.
"There's a number of big issues immigration is a big one. the border is open it's a huge crisis," said Drew.
"Extending President Trump's tax cuts is utmost importance to me and that's what drove me out to the polls today," said Fernando Espinoza.
"Voters know what's going on right now isn't working for them and we're ready for change," said Victoria Churchill, the Chairman of the Arlington Falls Church Young Republicans.
"Some of us go off, we say we're the future. We're not the future. We're now. We're paying taxes now. We're getting married now. We're starting families or not starting families now," said Churchill.
"If they don't quote on quote do politics, politics is going to do them. So if they want to have a chance to affect what happens to them they have to get out and get involved," she said.
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