Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump notched big wins across the South on Super Tuesday as they extended their leads for their party’s nomination.
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Striking a noticeable contrast with Trump, her possible general election rival, she smiled as she said, “I believe what we need in America today is more love and kindness”.
Coming within striking distance of becoming the Republican nominee, Trump, who has faced intense attack from other contenders for his radical views, notched up victories in seven states – Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Vermont and Virginia.
Mr Rubio’s win in Minnesota gave him a boost on an otherwise disappointing night. Billionaire real-estate mogul Trump is now the party’s frontrunner for the nomination.
So second-place finishes, which include a proportional number of delegates, are essential in both senators’ fights to become the preferred Republican establishment candidate and catch Trump. Trump told friends and the media at an event in Palm Beach, FL. “Once we get all this finished, I’m going after one person – Hillary Clinton”. Alaska, where there’s a Republican primary only, is still to report. “But”, she said, “that work is not to make America great again”.
Clinton turned away from rival Bernie Sanders, the Vermont senator who identifies as a democratic socialist, and set her sights on Trump during a victory rally in Miami.
Sanders thanked cheering supporters in his hometown of Burlington, Vermont, and assailed the Republican front-runner.
On the Fox News Channel’s Super Tuesday coverage, GOP presidential candidate Florida Senator Sen.
Cruz also used his speech to call on Trump to release tapes of his editorial board meeting with the New York Times, where Cruz says Trump was flexible on immigration including his plans to build a wall.
Republicans spent months largely letting Trump go unchallenged, wrongly assuming that his populist appeal with voters would fizzle. He emerged with his first victory in Minnesota but failed to live up to the wider hopes of the numerous Republican officeholders who have promoted him as the party’s best alternative to Trump. When asked if he is calling for Marco Rubio (one state win), John Kasich (zero wins), and Ben Carson (zero wins) to drop out, he said that is something each campaign has to think about.
But while his campaign has confounded many Republican leaders, the NY real estate developer cites his high poll numbers as proof he is not dividing the party but expanding its ranks. “It doesn’t seem like the Republicans respect anybody’s rights” except the “wealthy and well-connected”, said Clinton.
Donald Trump has won at least 139 Super Tuesday delegates, while Ted Cruz has won at least 52.
The key test for Clinton Tuesday was whether she could activate the broad coalition of voters who rejected her eight years ago-the so-called “Obama Coalition” comprised of black and Latino voters who make up a huge bloc of the Democratic primary electorate, especially in the South. In the end, she crushed that test, beating Sanders by huge margins in states like Georgia, where she pulled in almost three-quarters of the vote.
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While some Democrats have begun to question whether Sanders should continue his challenge to Clinton, he said he had no intention of dropping out anytime soon.
