National

Despite Super Tuesday victories, Donald Trump isn't guaranteed GOP nomination

MIAMI (AP) — The Latest on Campaign 2016 in the wake of Super Tuesday results that put Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton in strong leads (all times local):

11:00 a.m.

Despite Donald Trump’s string of victories on Tuesday, he has to do better in upcoming contests to claim the Republican nomination for president before the party’s national convention this summer.

Ted Cruz is emerging as the candidate who could stop him — with a little help from Marco Rubio.

A close look at the delegate math illustrates Trump’s problem. So far Trump has won only 46 percent of the delegates, even though he has won 10 of the first 15 contests. It takes an outright majority of delegates to win the nomination.

On Tuesday, Cruz muted Trump’s delegate gains by winning delegate-rich Texas, which is Cruz’s home state.

The delegate math illustrates the importance of the March 15 primaries in Florida and Ohio in which the statewide winner gets all the delegates.

10:00 a.m.

Donald Trump’s delegate gains on Super Tuesday were limited by Ted Cruz’s big win in delegate-rich Texas — his home state.

For the night, Trump won at least 234 delegates and Cruz won at least 209. Marco Rubio was a distant third with at least 90.

There were 595 Republican delegates at stake in 11 states. There were still 40 delegates left to be allocated Wednesday morning.

Texas was the biggest prize on Tuesday, with 155 delegates at stake. Cruz won at least 99 delegates in the state and Trump got at least 33, with 20 left to be awarded. Rubio picked up three.

Overall, Trump leads with 316 delegates and Cruz has 226. Rubio has 106 delegates, John Kasich has 25 and Ben Carson has eight.

It takes 1,237 delegates to win the Republican nomination for president.

9:38 a.m.

Top advisers to Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders say his campaign is far from finished in part because upcoming contests could be more difficult for front runner Hillary Clinton.

They point to upcoming contests in Nebraska, Kansas and Maine as key opportunities for their candidate. Campaign manager Jeff Weaver says Michigan’s primary later this month will be a “critical showdown” and the senator plans to focus heavily on Clinton’s record on trade in the manufacturing state.

Sanders senior adviser Tad Devine acknowledged Wednesday that Super Tuesday was the best day on the primary calendar for the former secretary of state and that Clinton has a “substantial advantage” in pledged delegates.

Sanders won contests in his home of Vermont, Colorado, Minnesota and Oklahoma but Clinton swept through the South, adding to her delegate lead.

__

8:07 a.m.

Six New Jersey newspapers say Gov. Chris Christie should resign over his endorsement of Donald Trump. They add that if Christie refuses to quit, New Jersey citizens should initiate a recall effort.

The papers — all owned by the Gannett Company, Inc., — on Wednesday ran brutal editorials saying they are fed up with everything from Christie’s famous sarcasm to “his long neglect of the state to pursue his own selfish agenda.” They add that they are “disgusted with his endorsement of Donald Trump after he spent months on the campaign trail trashing him.”

Christie quit his own presidential campaign after disappointing finishes in early state contests and abruptly endorsed Trump. He said he was backing the billionaire because Trump represents the best chance to defeat Democratic front runner Hillary Clinton in November.

Related posts

School delays and closings for Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024

Jon Zimney

Michigan officials certify 2024 election results

Tommie Lee

Bill establishing new FAFSA deadline passes House

Network Indiana