WASHINGTON : Front-runners Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton today fast tracked their race to the White House after posting big wins in the crucial multi-state ‘Super Tuesday’ primaries to stay on course for clinching their parties’ presidential nominations.
Clinton and Trump both won at least six of 11 state primaries of the Democratic and Republican parties as the possibility of a November presidential election showdown between the two seemed likely.
68-year-old Clinton, who is seeking to become the first women president of the United States, won Democratic Party’s primaries in six states of Texas, Georgia, Virginia, Alabama, Massachusetts and Tennessee.
Her only primary rival Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont won in his home state and in Oklahoma.
Continuing his dream run, Trump, who joined politics only eight months ago, registered impressive wins in the states of Georgia, Virginia, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Alabama.
Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who is the Republican Party favourite, won in his home state and also in Oklahoma.
Florida Senator Marco Rubio, said to be the establishment candidate for the Republican Party, was leading in Minnesota.
After a string of wins in the Super Tuesday primaries, Trump, at a press conference in Florida, claimed that he is on his way to win the party’s presidential nominee as he is way ahead of the other candidates.
“Our party is expanding and all you have to do is take a look at the primary states where I’ve won. We’ve gone from one number to a much larger number. That hasn’t happened to the Republican Party in many, many decades,” the 69-year-old real estate tycoon said.
“So I think we’re going to be more inclusive, more unified and a much bigger party and I think we’re going to win in November,” he said.
In his victory speech, Cruz called all the other candidates to drop out of the race claiming that he is the only one who can defeat Trump in the Republican presidential primaries.
However, Rubio refused to drop out of the race at least till the Florida elections which are to be held in two weeks from now.
In her victory remarks, former Secretary of State Clinton set her sights on the possible clash with Trump for the presidency.
She attacked Trump’s pledge to “make America great again”, saying, “America never stopped being great!”.
“It’s clear tonight that the stakes in this election have never been higher, and the rhetoric we’re hearing on the other side has never been lower,” she said amid applause from supporters in Miami.
Super Tuesday is the most crucial day of the US presidential primary season with half the Republican delegates and a third of Democratic delegates needed to win the nominations up for grabs. (AGENCIES)
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