Trump, Clinton score huge wins in New York primary

Billionaire Donald Trump and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton won sweeping victories in the New York primary on Tuesday, bolstering their bids to secure the Republican and Democratic nominations for the White House, reports AFP from New York. It was the most decisive New York primary in decades and leaves self-styled democratic socialist Bernie Sanders with a tough decision on how to proceed as Clinton extends her overwhelming lead over the Vermont senator.
US networks called the race for Trump seconds after the polls closed, signaling a crushing victory that is likely to alarm his opponents desperately hoping to block his path to the nomination with a contested party convention in July.
Both Clinton and Trump will now look to replicate their wins in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island, which hold primaries on April 26, as they edge closer toward a general election in November.
“To the people that know me the best—the people of New York—when they give us this kind of a vote it’s just incredible,” a delighted Trump, flanked by his family, told a Manhattan victory party.
Trump, whose campaign has appalled the Republican establishment, won 60.5 percent of the vote to 14.5 for his evangelical rival Ted Cruz and 25.1 for Ohio Governor John Kasich, with most of the votes counted, CNN said.
“Senator Cruz is just about mathematically eliminated,” declared the 69-year-old to cheers and applause from supporters at Trump Tower.
The Texas senator, who has projected himself as the only Republican capable of beating Trump, is widely disliked across the state for insulting New York’s supposedly non-conservative values earlier in the campaign.
CNN predicted Trump would take at least 89 of the 95 Republican party delegates up for grabs in New York.
Clinton relished the victory in her adopted home state to stall momentum generated by Sanders who won seven out of the eight previous nominating contests.
“Thank you New York,” she said to chants of “Hillary, Hillary, Hillary” from jubilant supporters in a Manhattan hotel, where she walked on stage with her husband Bill Clinton and heavily pregnant daughter Chelsea.
“Today you proved once again there’s no place like home,” said the 68-year-old candidate looking to make history as the first woman president of the United States.
“The race for the Democratic nomination is in the home stretch and victory is in sight.”
The former first lady and New York senator won 57.9 percent of the vote to 42.1 for Sanders, CNN said.
Clinton extended an olive branch to supporters of Sanders, who has galvanized millions of young voters with his calls for healthcare as a right, free college education and campaign finance reform.
“I believe there’s much more that unites us than divides us,” she said.
While New York City is largely Democrat, Republicans in rural areas and fallen manufacturing cities upstate warmed to Trump’s populist message, despite his insults towards women, Mexicans and Muslims.
The three main candidates also claimed New York as home: Trump, who has never lived anywhere else; Clinton, who was twice elected the state’s US senator; and Sanders, who was raised in Brooklyn.
The 74-year-old Sanders had hoped for a much closer margin to keep alive his White House dreams but showed no signs of stepping aside.

Trump, Clinton score huge wins in New York primary

Billionaire Donald Trump and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton won sweeping victories in the New York primary on Tuesday, bolstering their bids to secure the Republican and Democratic nominations for the White House, reports AFP from New York. It was the most decisive New York primary in decades and leaves self-styled democratic socialist Bernie Sanders with a tough decision on how to proceed as Clinton extends her overwhelming lead over the Vermont senator. US networks called the race for Trump seconds after the polls closed, signaling a crushing victory that is likely to alarm his opponents desperately hoping to block his path to the nomination with a contested party convention in July. Both Clinton and Trump will now look to replicate their wins in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island, which hold primaries on April 26, as they edge closer toward a general election in November. To the people that know me the bestthe people of New Yorkwhen they give us this kind of a vote its just incredible, a delighted Trump, flanked by his family, told a Manhattan victory party. Trump, whose campaign has appalled the Republican establishment, won 60.5 percent of the vote to 14.5 for his evangelical rival Ted Cruz and 25.1 for Ohio Governor John Kasich, with most of the votes counted, CNN said. Senator Cruz is just about mathematically eliminated, declared the 69-year-old to cheers and applause from supporters at Trump Tower. The Texas senator, who has projected himself as the only Republican capable of beating Trump, is widely disliked across the state for insulting New Yorks supposedly non-conservative values earlier in the campaign. CNN predicted Trump would take at least 89 of the 95 Republican party delegates up for grabs in New York. Clinton relished the victory in her adopted home state to stall momentum generated by Sanders who won seven out of the eight previous nominating contests. Thank you New York, she said to chants of Hillary, Hillary, Hillary from jubilant supporters in a Manhattan hotel, where she walked on stage with her husband Bill Clinton and heavily pregnant daughter Chelsea. Today you proved once again theres no place like home, said the 68-year-old candidate looking to make history as the first woman president of the United States. The race for the Democratic nomination is in the home stretch and victory is in sight. The former first lady and New York senator won 57.9 percent of the vote to 42.1 for Sanders, CNN said. Clinton extended an olive branch to supporters of Sanders, who has galvanized millions of young voters with his calls for healthcare as a right, free college education and campaign finance reform. I believe theres much more that unites us than divides us, she said. While New York City is largely Democrat, Republicans in rural areas and fallen manufacturing cities upstate warmed to Trumps populist message, despite his insults towards women, Mexicans and Muslims. The three main candidates also claimed New York as home: Trump, who has never lived anywhere else; Clinton, who was twice elected the states US senator; and Sanders, who was raised in Brooklyn. The 74-year-old Sanders had hoped for a much closer margin to keep alive his White House dreams but showed no signs of stepping aside.