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President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump met their respective parties’ necessary delegate counts on Tuesday night, setting up the nation for round two of an election between the two candidates.
But, the two contenders won’t officially become the Democratic or Republican nominees until the party conventions this summer.
For months, voters have been anticipating a rematch between Mr Biden and Mr Trump – one not seen since the 1950s.
That reality seemed all but certain as both candidates continued to defeat their rivals in the primaries and caucuses.
It was just about cemented on Tuesday night when Mr Biden won the Democratic primary in Georgia, meeting the Democratic National Committee’s (DNC) required 1,968 pledged delegates. He then also claimed victories in Washington and Mississippi.
Similarly, Mr Trump met the Republican National Committee’s (RNC) required 1,215 delegates after winning primaries in Georgia, Mississippi and Washington as well as the Hawaii caucuses.
While both candidates are campaigning as though they are the official nominee for each party, it technically does not become official until the conventions.
The DNC will hold its convention on 19 to 22 August in Chicago while the RNC convention will take place from 15 to 18 July in Milwaukee.
Balloons fall over delegates and attendees at the end of the fourth day of the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center, July 28, 2016 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
(Getty Images)
Traditionally, candidates who emerge from the primaries with the most amount of state delegates head to the national convention where they vote to confirm the party’s choice.
If no candidate obtains a majority of delegates, then the convention delegates decide the nominee.
For all intents and purposes, Mr Biden and Mr Trump are already their respective parties’ nominees as both have begun using the DNC or RNC for support in campaigning.
Mr Biden has been using the financial arm of the DNC to raise money.
Meanwhile, Mr Trump has overhauled staffing at the RNC – handpicking former North Carolina Republican Party chair Michael Whatley to replace Ronna McDaniel as RNC chair with his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, as co-chair.
The RNC has also seen a mass staff layoff this week, with many of Trump’s campaign or allies replacing RNC leadership.
