Quick Hit:

In one of the biggest Super Tuesday surprises, President Joe Biden lost the American Samoa Democratic caucus to Jason Palmer, marking the first time an incumbent president has lost a nominating contest in 44 years. This unexpected defeat came amidst a series of primary victories for Biden across the United States.

Key Details:

• Jason Palmer, a relatively unknown candidate, won the American Samoa Democratic caucus, defeating incumbent President Joe Biden.
• This is the first time a sitting president has lost a nominating contest since Jimmy Carter in 1980.
• Despite not visiting the territory during his campaign, Palmer managed to secure victory through virtual town halls and personal campaign financing.

Diving Deeper:

Palmer, a relatively unknown candidate, managed to secure victory in the small U.S. territory of American Samoa, which has an estimated population of 44,620. Despite not visiting the territory during his campaign, Palmer was able to connect with the locals through multiple virtual town halls. He also loaned his presidential campaign over $500,000 of his own money, according to campaign finance records.

Palmer's victory has tarnished an otherwise successful night for Biden, who scored a series of wins across the U.S. The last sitting president to lose a primary or caucus was Jimmy Carter in 1980, who lost 12 contests to Democratic rival Ted Kennedy. Despite winning the Democratic primary overall, Carter went on to suffer a crushing defeat against Republican Ronald Reagan in the presidential election.

The 2024 Democratic presidential candidate will be formally selected at the party's National Convention in Chicago, Illinois, from August 19th to 22th.