, he was able to win Michigan wit h just 36 % because there were still a dozen other people in the race . Discounting caucuses , which involve a much smaller percentage of voters than primaries do , Trump did n't poll a majority in any state primary until his backyard victory in New York ( 60 % ) more than after Michigan . And it was n't until late April , after three months and thirty - eight states plus D.C. had cast their ballots , that any state other than Trump 's home turf awarded him a simple majority of primary votes .