Indianapolis: Donald Trump virtually clinched the Republican nomination for president on Tuesday night, a stunning victory for the brash billionaire who was considered more a celebrity curiosity than a serious candidate when he entered the race less than a year ago. He soundly defeated Ted Cruz, his last real rival, in the Indiana primary and the Texas senator quickly dropped out.
"Thank you Indiana, we were just projected to be the winner," said Trump, still highly controversial in his own party but a long shot no more.
While Trump can't mathematically clinch the GOP nomination with his victory in Indiana, his path now becomes easier and he has more room for error in the remaining primary contests.
Trump still must win about 200 more delegates to clinch the nomination. But his victory in Indiana — where he picked up at least 45 of the state's 57 delegates — made it all but impossible for Cruz to block him from doing so.
Trump's win also was a big psychological blow to Cruz, the conservative Texas senator who hasn't topped Trump in a month.
Cruz, on the other hand, he announced that he was ending his presidential campaign after Indiana elimination. The conservative tea party firebrand had tried to cast himself as the only viable alternative to Trump.
Cruz told a crowd in Indianapolis that he would continue on as long as there was a viable path to victory; tonight I'm sorry to say it appears that path has been foreclosed."
“I've said I would continue on as long as there was a viable path to victory; tonight I'm sorry to say it appears that path has been foreclosed." He said.
Sanders defeats Clinton in Indiana primary
Bernie Sanders scored a meaningful victory in Indiana’s primary, narrowly defeating Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton in an election dynamic defined by the loss of manufacturing jobs in the state.
While Sanders bested Clinton, her wide delegate lead indicates she is still the favorite to win the Democratic nomination. But Sanders remained defiant Tuesday and told supporters the win in Indiana helped him gain "the momentum that we need to take us to the finish line."
In Indiana, Sanders faced a critical challenge where he needed to muster enough Hoosier support to justify continuing his campaign through to the Democratic National Convention.
Election results Tuesday evening showed Sanders leading Clinton with nearly 53 percent to 47 percent of the vote, according to the Associated Press. That was with 5,015 of the state’s more than 5,300 precincts reporting.
“The political revolution wins in Indiana," Sanders tweeted Tuesday night as the race was called.
With AP Inputs
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