They say everything is bigger in Texas, and that mantra rings true for Super Tuesday, when 15 states and one territory hold their primary elections. 

While Joe Biden is the likely Democratic nominee, the Republican race is still contested. If you ask Tarrant County Super Tuesday voters at St. Peter’s Orthodox Church, there is one clear winner: Donald Trump.  

“If Trump doesn’t win,” said Judy Schultz, a Tarrant County voter, “It’s because someone cheated.” 

Whether or not Trump is the most ethically-favorable candidate is another question. 

“He should be on the ballot because it is constitutional,” said Sheri Kantener, a Tarrant County voter. “Whether or not he should be able to run because of his involvement with the insurrection is a different story.” 

Trump’s front runner status is statistically backed: he has won 273 delegates (and counting) out of the 331 that have been allocated so far. A majority of these delegates came from the 11 states that held their primary elections prior to March 5. 

Here’s why today’s results may prove to be crucial for the Republican primary: There are a total of 2,429 delegates available for the Republican party. 865 of those delegates are available for the taking on Super Tuesday. In order to win the nomination, a candidate needs to secure 1,215. If Trump won all available delegates, he would be only 74 shy of winning the Republican nomination. 

“Super Tuesday is very important,” said Kevin Thaman, a Tarrant County voter. “So much information comes from today. There are so many delegates available for primary candidates.”

Thaman went on to say that even for states that will vote at a later point, Super Tuesday is still important. It has the power to sway the public image of a candidate. 

Other voters, like Kantener, argue that Super Tuesday does not hold the power that it should. 

“Because of all the other states that vote before Super Tuesday,” Kantener claimed, “many people think that their vote doesn’t matter or that it doesn’t really count.”

While opinions may differ regarding the importance of Super Tuesday, Tarrant County citizens agree that voting in a primary is critical to civil participation in democracy. 

“Voting is one of the biggest rights a person can have,” voter Amy Robnett said. 

Other individuals, like Kantener and Elaine Cummings, said that voting is the only way that citizens can make their voice heard and create change at a federal level.

The polls are open today from 7 AM until 7 PM. Tarrant County polling locations can be found here.