Trump, Biden, sweep Super Tuesday contests as they move closer to a presidential election rematch

Former President Donald Trump and President Biden take a major step toward a 2024 general election rematch on Wednesday morning as the Republican and Democratic Party leading candidates race to the table on Super Tuesday as the president meets in 16 states from coast to coast. Nomination competitions were held for the post.

"They call it Super Tuesday for a reason. It's huge," Trump said in a primary night victory speech before a large group of supporters at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida. "This is the day we've been waiting for."

And given his all but certain general election battle with Biden, Trump highlighted that "November 5 is going to go down as the most important day in the history of our country."

Super Tuesday: Live Updates

"Today, millions of voters across the country made their voices heard – showing that they are ready to fight against Donald Trump's extreme plan to take us back," Biden said in a statement on the Super Tuesday results.

He asserted, "Every generation of Americans will face a moment when it must defend democracy. This is our fight."

Click here for the latest Super Tuesday results from Fox News

Longtime Republican strategist David Kochel, a veteran of multiple presidential campaigns, told Fox News as Super Tuesday votes were being tabulated that "It's absolutely clear that both parties are ready to go down in the general election." "

While Trump did not clinch the 2024 Republican nomination on Tuesday, the former president was on track to clinch the vast majority of 854 Republican delegates, putting him ahead of his last remaining rival — former U.N. But came very close to locking the nomination. Ambassador and former Governor of South Carolina Nikki Haley.

Fox Exclusive: Trump reacts to Super Tuesday victory

And while the former president did not mention Haley in his speech, pointing to her primary victory over his opponent, he said "nothing has ever been so decisive."

Trump's solid victories in 14 of the 15 states with GOP nomination contests — including Haley's slight lead over the former president in Vermont — are also increasing calls by fellow Republicans for Haley to end her White House bid.

Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders – former Trump White House press secretary – “I think now is the time for him to step aside and let the party fully unite around Donald Trump so he can defeat Joe Biden And be able to defeat them in November." who have supported the former president — said in an interview on Fox News "America Reports" Tuesday afternoon.

Haley didn't look like she was going out during "Fox & Friends." Tuesday morning interview.

Haley said, "As much as everyone wants to go and push me out, I'm not ready to come out yet. I'm still sitting there and fighting for people who want a voice."

See the latest Republican presidential primary delegate counts here

Haley watched the primary night recount with staff in her hometown of Charleston, South Carolina, her campaign said. The candidate did not make any speeches or issue any statements.

Haley, who said she would remain in the running until at least Super Tuesday, has remained mum on any further plans.

But in a statement Tuesday night, the Haley campaign said, "We are honored to have the support of millions of Americans across the country today, including in Vermont where Nikki became the first Republican woman to win two presidential primaries."

And pointing to a group of Super Tuesday states where Haley won a quarter to a third of the vote in GOP contests, the campaign argued that "Today, in state after state, a huge block of Republican primary voters "who are expressing deep concerns about Donald Trump. This is not the unity our party needs to succeed. Addressing the concerns of those voters will make the Republican Party and America better."

Kochel, who remained neutral in the nomination fight, called the Super Tuesday results "a very impressive night for Trump."

He said, "This thing is getting very close to completion" and that "it is decision time" for Haley.

With eight primaries taking place on March 12 and 19, along with big states like Georgia, Florida, Illinois and Ohio, Trump is expected to reach the 1,215 delegates needed to clinch the nomination by the middle of this month.

Trump's campaign predicted in a memo last month that even under the most favorable modeling for Haley, the former president would clinch the nomination by March 19.

Fox News contributor Karl Rove, the veteran GOP strategist and political mastermind behind former President George W. Bush's two presidential election victories, asserted that it was "a strong night for Donald Trump."

But pointing to the support Haley has received, Rove said, "Team Trump's high command should be concerned about unifying the Republican Party... There is still some work to be done."

And Kochel said the Trump and Biden campaigns are "going to fight over these Nikki Haley voters."

Biden, who faces nominal challenges from Minnesota representative Dean Phillips and best-selling author and spiritual advisor Marianne Williamson, easily swept the Democrat contests.

The president was on track to win nearly all 1,420 Democratic delegates Tuesday and came very close to the 1,968 needed for renomination.

But Biden suffered a blow, as Fox News Decision Desk predicted he would lose the Democratic caucus in American Samoa to overwhelmingly long-shot candidate and entrepreneur Jason Palmer.

Palmer was expected to win four delegates to the President's two in the Pacific Ocean island region. This was Biden's first defeat in the 2024 Democratic nomination calendar.

More troubling for Biden was continued dissatisfaction at the ballot box over his support for Israel in its war with Hamas.

A week after 13% of Democratic primary voters in Michigan voted "uncommitted" in protest of the president's support of Israel, nearly 20% voted "uncommitted" in Minnesota's primary.