Kentucky primary election: 17% of Democrats pick 'uncommitted' over Biden

While U.S. President Joe Biden handily won the Democratic nomination in Kentucky, the percentage of those who voted “uncommitted” soared compared to the commonwealth’s last presidential primary.

The uncommitted parade was in line with a nationwide trend of voters using this year’s election cycle as a means of protest amid Israel's war in Gaza.

In the 2020 primary election, 10.8% of Democratic primary voters selected the "uncommitted" option. That figure jumped to 17.8% this year, as Biden faces criticism from some Democrats across the U.S. for not doing more to stop the conflict in the Middle East.

How did Donald Trump and Nikki Haley do in Kentucky primary?

By comparison, just 3.5% of GOP voters in Kentucky chose "uncommitted," as likely nominee Donald Trump landed about 85% of the vote.

Former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley only got 6.4% of the vote in the Republican primary. That's far lower than she got in neighboring Indiana earlier this month, when one in five GOP voters chose her even though she has dropped out of the race.

Why some Democrats aren't supporting Biden

While Biden still secured the Democratic nomination for Kentucky with more than 71%, some pro-Palestinian political organizers believe voters’ use of the uncommitted ballot option can send a key signal to the current administration, as Our Revolution executive director Joseph Geevarghese previously told USA TODAY.

“In order for Democrats to defeat Donald Trump in November, Biden must realign with his voter base and listen to the diverse, progressive voices urging him to change course in Gaza,” Geevarghese said. “And until he does, we will continue showing up, speaking out and activating Our Revolution’s 8 million grassroots members across the country to use their ballot to demand change.”

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Kentucky primary: How did Biden, Trump do?