By CHRIS MEGERIAN (Related Press)
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden was sweeping each Democratic contest on Tremendous Tuesday — aside from American Samoa.
He fell brief there to a beforehand unknown candidate named Jason Palmer. Out of 91 ballots solid within the territory’s caucus, Palmer gained 51 and Biden gained 40, in accordance with the native get together.
“I came upon that I had gained as a result of my cellphone began blowing up with associates and marketing campaign staffers texting me,” Palmer mentioned in an interview late Tuesday.
Palmer, 52, mentioned he by no means visited the territory earlier than the caucus.
“I’ve been campaigning remotely, doing Zoom city halls, speaking to individuals, listening to them about their issues and what issues to them,” he mentioned.
The end result will hardly derail Biden’s march towards his get together’s nomination. Solely six delegates had been at stake within the U.S. territory, a tiny assortment of islands within the South Pacific with fewer than 50,000 residents. Palmer and Biden every earned three delegates from the race.
On the day earlier than the caucus, Palmer posted on X that “Washington D.C. is lengthy overdue for a president who will probably be an advocate for American Samoa.” His account consists of footage of younger individuals holding home made marketing campaign indicators.
Palmer is a Baltimore resident who has labored for varied companies and nonprofits, usually on points involving know-how and training. He mentioned voters need “somebody who’s extra of the twenty first century than Joe Biden” to function president.
In keeping with marketing campaign finance information, Palmer has loaned his marketing campaign greater than $500,000 of his personal cash.
“You’ll be able to’t take the cash with you whenever you die,” he mentioned. “However you’ll be able to change the world when you’re right here.”
Residents of U.S. territories vote in primaries however would not have illustration within the Electoral Faculty.
American Samoa has been the location of quixotic victories earlier than. Through the 2020 Democratic primaries, billionaire Michael Bloomberg’s solely win got here within the territory.
