As in 2020, Pennsylvania is expected to be a key state in the 2024 presidential election in November. On the state's primary ballot, both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump faced challengers. Did it set the stage for a protest vote for people who don't want to vote for either man?
The presidential election certainly was on the mind of Pennsylvania voters during Tuesday's primary election. Voters from both parties expressed support for their candidates. One Biden voter, in particular, expressed concern about the Israel-Hamas war.
That war has led to protest votes in other states, the so-called "no Biden" vote.
"Tens of thousands of people being slaughtered. I just can't stomach that," said Democrat Anna Lopez, expressing disdain for the war.
Democrats really are falling into three categories.
There's those who are in support of Biden, in support of his policies on Israel. There's those who are opposed to some of the policies, the war in the Middle East, but still feel strongly about Biden.
And then there are those like Lopez, who said she did not fill in the bubble next to Biden's name, out of protest.
With 95% of ballots counted, 93% of Democrats' votes went to Biden, while 7% went to U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota, whose name appeared on the Democratic ballot, even though he officially dropped out.
And with former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley on the Republican ballot, even though she pulled the plug on her campaign some time ago, Trump saw a similar kind of protest vote -- and slightly more pronounced.
With 98% of ballots counted, 83% of Republicans' votes went to Trump because 17% went to Haley.
