TOPEKA — The usual picks emerged from the state’s presidential preference primary with decisive wins Tuesday, further solidifying nominations they secured two weeks earlier.
Unofficial results show former President Donald Trump had 75% of GOP votes while President Joe Biden had 84% of Democratic votes. They appear destined for a showdown in November — pending court battles over Trump’s attempts to overthrow the 2020 election results.
Given alternatives who have suspended their campaigns, 10% of Democrats and 5% of Republicans chose “none of the names” on Kansas ballots.
Kansas was among five states to hold presidential primaries Tuesday, joining Arizona, Florida, Illinois and Ohio.
Last year, GOP legislators in Kansas — embarrassed by Trump’s defeat in the 2016 state caucus to U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas — forced the state to abandon the party-led caucus format that had been in place since the 1980s. Instead, for one year only, state and county election officials administered a primary vote with a $5 million price tag for state taxpayers.
By Tuesday, the outcome was predictable. Trump and Biden had already won enough delegates to claim their party’s nomination, and most other candidates had suspended their campaigns. The Associated Press called the races for Trump and Biden.
In Kansas, Trump easily crushed his closest competitor, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who had received 16% of votes. Former Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis had 3% of the vote, and Texas pastor and businessman Ryan Binkley had 1%.
Three percent of Democrats favored self-help author Marianne Williamson of California, and both entrepreneur Jason Palmer of Maryland and U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota received 1%.
Only affiliated voters could participate in the Kansas primary.
