WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will face Democratic voters this Saturday in a pair of nominating contests in Alaska and Wyoming that are unlikely to produce any surprises.
In Wyoming, Democrats will award 13 delegates using a presidential preference vote held at caucuses in each of the state’s 23 counties. Seven names will appear on the ballot, but Biden is the only major candidate competing for votes. Caucusgoers will have the option to vote for “Uncommitted,” which has been used in some other states to register a protest vote against the sitting president.
In Alaska, 15 delegates are at stake in Saturday’s party-run primary, but the event won’t resemble any other presidential nominating contest held so far this year. Democratic voters will convene in meetings in each of Alaska’s 40 state House districts and indicate their support for Biden in a voice vote. Most of the district meetings will be held virtually by video conference, although participants in Fairbanks and Juneau have the additional option of attending and voting in person. State party officials had originally planned to hold a vote-by-mail primary to conclude on April 6, but they revamped their plans after U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota suspended his campaign, leaving Biden the only remaining candidate to qualify for the Alaska ballot. Rather than cancel the primary as Florida and Delaware did last month, the party changed the event to a simple voice vote and pushed it back a week to coincide with the state House district caucuses. Doing so reduced the cost of the primary from $450,000 to $10,000, according to the state party chairman.
Biden has already surpassed the number of delegates he’ll need to officially claim the nomination at the convention this summer.
Alaska Republicans held presidential caucuses on Super Tuesday in March. Wyoming Republicans will complete their process of awarding presidential delegates next week at their state convention.
In 2020, Biden won the Alaska primary, 55% to 45%, and the Wyoming caucuses, 72% to 28%, over U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Both events were held shortly after Sanders suspended his campaign but before Biden unofficially clinched the nomination. Sanders carried both states in the 2016 primaries against Hillary Clinton.
Both Alaska and Wyoming vote reliably Republican in presidential general elections. The last Democratic presidential candidate to win either state was President Lyndon Johnson in 1964.
In Wyoming, Biden is the favorite in the caucuses as he faces no major challengers on the ballot. The first indication that he is winning statewide on a level consistent with the overwhelming margins seen in most other contests held this year may be sufficient to determine the statewide winners.
In Alaska, Biden is the only eligible candidate. Determining the winner will be a matter of waiting for the state party to announce when the outcome is official.
Here are the Saturday contests at a glance:
Democrats: 28 (Alaska 15, Wyoming 13)
PARTY-RUN EVENTS (2): Alaska primary, Wyoming caucuses
11 a.m. EDT: First county caucus begins in Wyoming
12:15 p.m. EDT: Most county caucuses begin in Wyoming
1 p.m. EDT: Final county caucus begins in Wyoming
2 p.m. EDT: Voice vote session convenes in 16 of 40 Alaska districts
4 p.m. EDT: Voice vote session convenes in 16 of 40 Alaska districts
6 p.m. EDT: Voice vote session convenes in 8 of 40 Alaska districts
7 p.m. EDT: Deadline to submit Wyoming caucus results to state party
11 p.m. EDT: Final Alaska results expected
PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY (D): Biden is the only candidate eligible to receive votes. 15 delegates are at stake.
WHO CAN VOTE: Only registered Democrats may participate in the party-run primary.
RESULTS EXPECTED: The voice vote sessions will be held at different times throughout the day, depending on the location of the district. The state party chairman is expected to announce the final result no later than 11 p.m. EDT.
PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY (D): Biden, Jason Palmer, Dean Phillips, Marianne Williamson, “Uncommitted” and three others. 13 delegates are at stake.
WHO CAN VOTE: Only Democrats who registered by Tuesday may participate in Saturday’s Democratic caucuses. Caucusgoers must live in the county to participate in that county’s caucus.
RESULTS EXPECTED: Caucus start times vary by county, but caucus officials have until 7 p.m. EDT to report their results to the state party.
Wyoming
As of Saturday, there will be 128 days until the Democratic National Convention in Chicago and 206 days until the November general election.
Follow the AP's coverage of the 2024 election at https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024.
FILE - A sign on the border of Wyoming and Montana appears on the side of Belfry Highway, May 24, 2017, in Powell, Wyo. President Joe Biden will face Democratic voters this Saturday, April 13, 2024, in a pair of nominating contests in Alaska and Wyoming that are unlikely to produce any surprises. In Wyoming, Democrats will award 13 delegates using a presidential preference vote held at 23 county-level caucuses. (AP Photo/Robert Yoon, File)
FILE - A welcome sign is shown Sept. 22, 2021, in Tok, Alaska. President Joe Biden will face Democratic voters this Saturday, April 13, 2024, in a pair of nominating contests in Alaska and Wyoming that are unlikely to produce any surprises. In Alaska, 15 delegates are at stake in a party-run primary, which will be conducted by voice vote in the state's 40 legislative districts. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Friday bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom on 19 people, including civil rights icons such as the late Medgar Evers, prominent political leaders such as former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. James Clyburn, and actor Michelle Yeoh.
Biden said the recipients of the nation's highest civilian honor are “incredible people whose relentless curiosity, inventiveness, ingenuity and hope have kept faith in a better tomorrow.”
One of them, Clarence B. Jones, said in an interview that he thought a prankster was on the phone when he answered and heard the caller say they were from the White House.
“I said, ‘Is this a joke or is this serious?’" Jones recalled. The caller swore they were serious and was calling with the news that Biden wanted to recognize Jones with the medal.
Jones, 93, was honored for his activism during the Civil Rights Movement. He's a lawyer who provided legal counsel to Martin Luther King Jr. and helped write the opening paragraphs of the “I Have a Dream” speech that King delivered at the Lincoln Memorial at the 1963 March on Washington.
The White House said the recipients are “exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors.”
The 10 men and nine women hail from the worlds of politics, sports, entertainment, civil rights and LGBTQ+ advocacy, science and religion. Three medals were awarded posthumously.
Seven politicians were among the recipients: former New York mayor and philanthropist Michael Bloomberg, former Sen. Elizabeth Dole, climate activist and former Vice President Al Gore, Biden's former climate envoy John Kerry, former Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., who died in 2013, Clyburn, the Democratic congressman from South Carolina, and Pelosi, the Democratic congresswoman from California.
Biden in his remarks acknowledged that Clyburn's endorsement in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary helped him score a thundering win in South Carolina, powering him to his party's nomination and ultimately the White House. Bloomberg mounted a short-lived bid for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination.
“I can say this without fear of contradiction,” Biden said. “I would not be standing here as president making these awards were it not for Jim. I mean that sincerely.”
In addition to representing North Carolina in the Senate, Dole, a Republican and the widow of former Sen. Bob Dole, also served as transportation secretary and labor secretary and was president of the American Red Cross. She currently leads a foundation supporting military caregivers.
Pelosi is the first and only woman ever elected to the speaker's post, putting her second in the line of succession to the presidency. Biden referenced her legislative achievements, noted her actions during the Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, and said "history will remember you, Nancy, as the greatest speaker of the House of Representatives.”
Evers received posthumous recognition for his work more than six decades ago fighting segregation in Mississippi in the 1960s as the NAACP's first field officer in the state. He was 37 when he was fatally shot in the driveway of his home in June 1963. His daughter, Reena, who was 8 years old when her father was killed, accepted his medal.
Yeoh made history last year by becoming the first Asian woman to win an Academy Award for best actress for her performance in “ Everything, Everywhere All at Once.”
Jim Thorpe, who died in 1953, was the first Native American to win an Olympic gold medal for the United States.
Judy Shepard co-founded the Matthew Shepard Foundation, named after her son, a gay 21-year-old University of Wyoming student who died in 1998 after he was beaten and tied to a fence.
Jones said he felt “very touched” after he digested what the caller had said.
“I'm 93 years old with some health challenges, but I woke up this morning thanks to the grace of God,” he told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Thursday. “I'm looking forward to whatever the White House would like for me to do.”
The other medal recipients are:
— Gregory Boyle, a Jesuit Catholic priest who founded and runs Homeboy Industries, a gang-intervention and rehabilitation program.
— Phil Donahue, a journalist and former daytime TV talk-show host.
— Katie Ledecky, the most decorated female swimmer in history.
— Opal Lee, an activist who is best known for pushing to make Juneteenth a federal holiday. Biden did so in 2021.
— Ellen Ochoa, the first Hispanic woman in space and the second female director of NASA's Johnson Space Center.
— Jane Rigby, an astronomer who is chief scientist of the world's most powerful telescope. She grew up in Delaware, Biden's home state.
— Teresa Romero, president of the United Farm Workers and the first Hispanic woman to lead a national union in the U.S. The union has endorsed Biden's reelection bid and backed him in 2020.
In 2022, Biden presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom to 17 people, including gymnast Simone Biles, the late Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and gun-control advocate Gabby Giffords.
Biden knows how it feels to receive the medal. As president, Barack Obama presented Biden, his vice president, with the medal a week before their administration ended in 2017.
President Joe Biden awards the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to former Secretary of State John Kerry during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Friday, May 3, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Joe Biden awards the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to former Sen. Elizabeth Dole during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Friday, May 3, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Lynn Hannon, granddaughter of Jim Thorpe listens as President Joe Biden speaks before he awards the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Friday, May 3, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Joe Biden awards the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to Gregory J. Boyle during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Friday, May 3, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Joe Biden awards the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to former New York City Michael Bloomberg during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Friday, May 3, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Joe Biden awards the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Friday, May 3, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Former Sen. Elizabeth Dole talks with Michelle Yeoh as President Joe Biden speaks before he awards the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to them during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Friday, May 3, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Joe Biden awards the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to former Vice President Al Gore during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Friday, May 3, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Joe Biden awards the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Friday, May 3, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Joe Biden awards the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to Katie Ledecky during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Friday, May 3, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Joe Biden awards the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to Michelle Yeoh during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Friday, May 3, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
FILE - Former Vice President Al Gore speaks about climate change at the Annual Meeting of World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, File)
FILE - Former Sen. Elizabeth Dole listens to a speaker during a memorial service for former Sen. Bob Dole, R-Kan., Dec. 11, 2021, in Russell, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)
FILE - Phil Donahue attends the 2019 American Icon Awards at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on May 19, 2019, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)
FILE - John Kerry, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, speaks during an interview in his office at the State Department, Feb. 6, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)
FILE - Michael Bloomberg, former mayor of New York, speaks at the opening of the U.S. Pavilion at the COP27 U.N. Climate Summit, Nov. 8, 2022, in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty, File)
FILE - Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., speaks at a ceremony to award a Congressional Gold Medal to baseball player Larry Doby at the Capitol, Dec. 13, 2023, in Washington.(AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)
FILE - Teresa Romero, president of United Farm Workers, speaks at a news conference at Balletto Vineyards in Santa Rosa, Calif., April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)
FILE - Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi walks to a news conference to address sea level rise along the city's waterfront in San Francisco, Jan. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File)
FILE - Michelle Yeoh arrives at the 10th Breakthrough Prize Ceremony on April 13, 2024, at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)
FILE - Clarence B. Jones poses for a photo before was presented with the American Jewish Congress' "Isaiah Award," March 1, 2006, in New York. (AP Photo/Diane Bondareff, File)
