Phoenix: Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump today swept to victory in Arizona presidential primaries, solidifying their front-runner status in their parties for the race to the White House.
With more than 70 per cent of the votes counted, Clinton was cruising ahead with 60 per cent of the votes, and Trump with nearly 46 per cent in Arizona, one of three western states besides Utah and Idaho to hold contests today.
All major American media networks, based on these figures and lead, projected Trump and Clinton as winner of Arizona primaries.
Official results are yet to be declared.
“Thank you, Arizona,” Trump tweeted.
“Thank you to all the wonderful volunteers who are working so hard for our campaign. You’re knocking down barriers,” Clinton tweeted.
With an impressive win in Arizona, Trump grabbed all the 58 delegates at stake in the State, thus, increasing his total to 739 delegates and further increasing the gap on delegate count with his main Republican presidential primary rival Senator Ted Cruz who has a delegate count of 425.
To win the Republican presidential nominee, Trump needs 1,237 delegates.
He needs to win 52 per cent of the delegates in the rest of the Republican primaries. So far, the real estate tycoon has won 19 States as against Cruz’s victory in eight States so far.
In Arizona, Clinton’s sole rival Senator Bernie Sanders had polled 36. 8 per cent of the votes as against more than 60 per cent by the former Secretary of State.
Clinton currently has 1,670 delegates, which includes 1159 won by her in various States and 467 super delegates who have pledged their support to her.
Sanders has 886 delegates including 829 won in State primaries and caucuses.
The one with 2,382 delegates, would be declared the Democratic presidential nominee.