The Latest: Trump, Clinton win Delaware primaries
(AP) – The Latest on Delaware’s primary election (all times local):
8:40 p.m.
Hillary Clinton has won Delaware’s Democratic presidential primary, defeating Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Tuesday’s victory was a first for Clinton in Delaware, where she lost the 2008 Democratic primary to Barack Obama after favorite son Joe Biden dropped out of the race.
At a campaign stop in Wilmington on Monday, Clinton did not even mention Sanders, instead taking aim at Republican front-runner Donald Trump.
Delaware’s 21 delegates will be apportioned between Clinton and Sanders based on the final vote count.
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8:35 p.m.
Donald Trump has won Delaware’s Republican presidential primary, easily beating back Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich.
With Tuesday’s win, Trump is guaranteed the support of Delaware’s 16 delegates, at least on the first ballot, at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. But if Trump is unable to attain the number of delegates needed for the nomination on the first ballot, Delaware’s delegates will not be bound to support him on subsequent ballots.
Delaware Republicans will vote on their slate of delegates at this weekend’s state party convention.
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5:30 p.m.
Twenty-one Democratic delegates are up for grabs in Delaware’s presidential primary.
They’ll be apportioned between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders based on the final vote count in Tuesday’s primaries.
Charles Henrich, a union electrician from Dover, says he voted for Sanders. He says of his choice, “He’s more for the union guy than she is.”
Both candidates visited Wilmington in the days leading up to the primary.
State Democratic Party chairman John Daniello was worried that stormy weather forecast for the region Tuesday afternoon and evening could keep some voters, especially senior citizens, at home. Despite dark, angry clouds over northern Delaware, no heavy rain fell before the polls closed.
Delaware has a closed primary, meaning only registered Republicans and Democrats can vote in their respective primaries.
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2:15 p.m.
Voter interest in Delaware’s presidential primary was evident even before the polls opened Tuesday morning.
State elections commissioner Elaine Manlove said voters had requested 6,410 absentee ballots in advance of Tuesday’s primary, more than double the 2,624 that were counted in 2008, the most recent year in which Republicans and Democrats held presidential primaries in Delaware.
Tuesday’s closed primary was limited to registered Democrats and Republicans.
Delaware Republicans are choosing between billionaire businessman Donald Trump, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, and Ohio Gov. John Kasich.
Democrats are casting their votes for former secretary of state Hillary Clinton and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.
