Page 3 - atoday
P. 3
U.S. NEWS A3
Wednesday 2 March 2016
At Press Time:
Clinton, Trump extend their leads on Super Tuesday
WASHINGTON (AP) — Dem- were too close to call. American voters line up outside a polling place Tuesday, March 1, 2016 in Anchorage, Alaska.
ocrat Hillary Clinton won at Trump, the brash billion- Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump were pressing for sweeping victories that could distance them
least six states and Donald aire and reality TV star, has from their party rivals and move them closer to a November presidential election showdown.
Trump at least five in Su- stunned the Republican Nominating contests were held Tuesday in 12 of the 50 U.S. states.
per Tuesday elections, the political establishment by
biggest day of the primary winning three of the first (AP Photo/Michael Dinneen)
campaign. But Ted Cruz four contests, seizing on the
ended Trump’s winning anxieties of voters angry
streak with victories in his at Washington and wor-
home state of Texas and ried about terrorism, immi-
neighboring Oklahoma. gration and an uncertain
Democrat Bernie Sanders economy. Using simple
also won his home state of terms, and often coarse
Vermont and Oklahoma. language, he has soared
Clinton and Trump were to the top of polls with his
pressing for sweeping vic- pledge to “make America
tories that could distance great again.”
them from their party rivals Republican officials, fear-
and move them closer to ing a Trump sweep, have
a November presidential been lashing out at his tem-
election showdown. Nomi- perament and command
nating contests were being of the issues in the hours
held Tuesday in 12 of the before voting began.
50 U.S. states. “You’ve got a con man
Trump won in Virginia, Al- and a bully who is moving
abama, Massachusetts, forward with great speed
Tennessee and Georgia. to grab the party’s mantle
Cruz is the only candidate to be its standard bearer,”
to have beaten Trump, in Norm Coleman, a former
the leadoff Iowa caucuses, senator who backs Marco
as well as the two wins on Rubio, said in an interview
Tuesday. with The Associated Press.
Cruz, a firebrand conser- “That’s almost incompre-
vative senator, has been hensible.” Clinton, once
vying with Marco Rubio to seen as the all-but-inevi-
emerge as the main alter- table Democratic nomi-
native to Trump. Cruz saw nee, has contended with
the Southern states that an unexpectedly strong
voted Tuesday as his oppor- challenge from Sanders, a
tunity to stake his claim to senator and self-described
the nomination, given their democratic socialist. But
large evangelical Christian Clinton, like Trump, had
populations. Trump has also won three of the first
won over many evangeli- four races, including a
cals, but Cruz’s campaign landslide victory in South
may be boosted by his vic- Carolina on Saturday.
tory in Texas, the biggest Candidates are trying to
prize up for grabs on Super win delegates who will
Tuesday. vote for them at the par-
Rubio, a Florida senator ties’ conventions in July.
who has become the fa- For Republicans, 595 dele-
vorite of much of the Re- gates were at stake, nearly
publican establishment, half of the 1,237 needed
has yet to win a primary, for the nomination. Demo-
despite competing hard in crats were allocating 865
Virginia. He is putting hopes delegates, more than one-
on his home state primary third of the 2,383 needed
on March 15. to become the nominee.
Clinton, the former secre- Both Cruz and Rubio have
tary of state and senator, launched furious verbal at-
won in Texas, Arkansas, Al- tacks on Trump in recent
abama, Tennessee, Geor- days, but some in the par-
gia and Virginia. The wins ty establishment fear the
reflected her strength in anti-Trump campaign has
the South, where black vot- come too late.
ers are an important part of Ohio Gov. John Kasich and
the Democratic base and retired neurosurgeon Ben
overwhelmingly supported Carson remain in the race,
her. but neither is expected
Voting was still ongoing in to be a major factor on
other contests or the races Tuesday.q
