CNN
—
President Joe Biden was handed his first loss in the Democratic presidential primary by a few who knew before Tuesday night: venture capitalist Jason Palmer.
A little-known candidate from Baltimore won the American Samoa Democratic Party nomination. Although Palmer won the small US territory — fewer than 100 people participate in the caucuses — it won't slow Biden's commanding march to the Democratic nomination after the president dominated Super Tuesday races across the country.
“I am proud to announce my victory in the American Samoa presidential election. Thank you to the incredible community for your support. This success is a testament to the strength of our voice. Together, we can rebuild the American dream and shape a brighter future for all,” Palmer said. A position In X.
A Palmer campaign official told CNN that the candidate had three full-time campaign staffers, but he did not visit the island and instead appeared virtually at events.
Palmer, who has never held political office, launched his ambitious bid for the White House in November. He is currently a partner at New Markets Venture Partners, a venture capital firm, and has worked at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Microsoft and Kaplan, according to his LinkedIn profile.
The 52-year-old admits on his campaign website that his candidacy has “very little chance of winning” and says his campaign is more focused on “changing ideas, solutions and the conversation”. He is running in the Democratic primary “because (1) I'm a Democrat, and (2) we don't want to play a spoiler role in this election,” he told the site.
“This is the most important election of the 21st century, and preventing Trump from returning to office for a second term is critical,” he said of former President Donald Trump's rival in November.
The Biden campaign beat back predictions that the president would lose American Samoa, a campaign official called “funny news.”
Campaign officials told reporters Tuesday evening that the lowest turnout is expected in American Samoa, where Michael Bloomberg won the Democratic race in 2020.
Pressed for further details, a Biden campaign official said Palmer has a “platform to be an advocate for American Samoa.”
In a video announcing his candidacy, Palmer vowed to be a champion for young Americans and touted his plan for an “efficient economy driven by mission-driven entrepreneurship and conscious capitalism.”
Last year, he participated in the New Hampshire Institute of Politics' “Lesser-Known Candidate Forum,” appearing as one of 18 Democratic presidential hopefuls without national name recognition.
CNN's MJ Lee contributed to this report.
