‘Beautiful win’ for Trump, big relief for Clinton Jeb Bush drops out of race, Rubio gets a boost

columbia (South Carolina) — Donald Trump widened his lead over the Republican party’s presidential field claiming a big victory on Saturday as the contest moved into the South. Out West, Hillary Clinton beat Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders for a crucial win in Nevada’s Democratic caucuses.

Former Florida governor Jeb Bush, who had done poorly in the first three early Republican contests, suspended his campaign after a disappointing fourth place finish in South Carolina.

Clinton and Trump’s victories put them in strong positions as the 2016 presidential election barrelled towards the March 1 Super Tuesday — the multi-state voting contests on March 1. Clinton’s roughly 5-point win eased the rising anxieties of her backers, who feared a growing challenge from Sanders.

Trump’s strong showing in South Carolina marked his second straight victory in the Republican primaries and strengthened his unexpected claim on the party nomination. No Republican in recent times has won New Hampshire and South Carolina and then failed to win the nomination. “There’s nothing easy about running for president,” Trump said at his victory rally. “It’s tough, it’s nasty, it’s mean, it’s vicious. It’s beautiful — when you win it’s beautiful.” —

las vegas — Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump rolled to victory on Saturday in South Carolina in a contest that saw former Florida governor Jeb Bush drop out, while Democratic hopeful Hillary Clinton beat back a strong challenge from Bernie Sanders in Nevada.

The victories by Trump, who is running as an anti-establishment outsider, and Clinton, a preeminent political insider, solidified their positions as the front-runners to win their parties’ respective nominations ahead of the November 8 presidential election.

By winning both South Carolina and New Hampshire and holding leads in 13 states that hold Republican contests on March 1, Trump was arguably on track to win the nomination, an outcome that seemed astounding to contemplate when he entered the race last summer.

The 69-year-old real estate billionaire and reality TV star was declared the winner in South Carolina about an hour after polls closed, and launched into a feisty victory speech. “Let’s put this thing away,” Trump told cheering supporters in Spartanburg.

He denounced TV pundits for saying there could be enough anti-Trump votes to beat him when the race thins further.

“These geniuses,” he said. “They don’t understand that as people drop out, I’m going to get a lot of those votes also. You don’t just add them together.”

Trump easily defeated Florida Senator Marco Rubio and Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who were in a close fight for second place and the right to declare themselves the anti-Trump alternative.

Clinton cruises

Former secretary of state Clinton’s victory in the Nevada Democratic caucuses, meanwhile, could help calm worries among the Democratic establishment about the strength of her campaign.

Her result denied Sanders the breakthrough win he had sought in a state with a heavy minority population, but his ability to close a one-time double-digit polling lead for Clinton suggests the Democratic nominating race will be long and hard fought.

With 90 per cent of precincts reporting, Clinton was leading with 52.6 per cent of the vote to Sanders’ 47.4 per cent. Her victory gave her fresh momentum as she heads into the next contest in South Carolina. —