Former presidential candidate Dean Phillips will receive at least three of Ohio’s delegates to the Democratic National Convention, even though he has dropped out of the race and endorsed President Joe Biden. However, these delegates are likely to be in name only as Biden has already secured 99% of the convention delegates. Party rules make it nearly impossible for any candidate other than Biden to be eligible for the nomination at this point in the primary process. Activists in several states have been encouraging voters to select the “uncommitted” option to protest Biden’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war, earning the option 27 delegates.
In the Ohio primary, the minimum goal for Democrats competing for delegates is to win 15% of the statewide vote or 15% of the vote in an individual congressional district. With “uncommitted” not being a ballot option, voters wishing to express opposition to Biden had only one other choice, which was Phillips. The delegate count in Ohio took more than a month to determine as the state does not release presidential primary results by congressional districts, requiring news outlets and parties to do it themselves. Phillips came close to the threshold in four congressional districts but it was uncertain if he would receive any delegates in the end.
The Ohio Democratic Party stated that Phillips’ campaign had not submitted a delegate list, making it unclear if any delegate slots he qualified for could be filled. It was also noted that the margins were very slim in those districts which required certified totals to confirm if he had received delegates. An analysis of the certified results showed that Phillips met the 15% threshold to receive a delegate in three congressional districts and could potentially qualify for a fourth. The delegate and convention director for the Ohio Democratic Party confirmed that any delegates Phillips qualified for would be counted as pledged to support him but would ultimately vote for Biden.
At this stage in the race, it is highly unlikely for any candidate other than Biden to reach the 300-delegate threshold required by DNC rules to be considered for the nomination. Biden has won the majority of the already allocated delegates and has clinched enough to secure the Democratic nomination. Phillips joins Jason Palmer and the “uncommitted” option as the only non-Biden choices to receive delegates. Palmer, who won three delegates in American Samoa, has also endorsed Biden. He is working with the Democratic National Committee to determine the role his pledged delegates could play at the convention. For now, his priority is ensuring his delegates can afford travel expenses to attend the convention. Biden is expected to be the only candidate eligible for the nomination, leaving delegates with limited voting options at the convention.
