Northeast primaries in the USA
Republican front-runner Donald Trump picked up victories in every primary Tuesday: Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. The New York real estate mogul was expected to notch big wins, given his leads in polling leading into the contests. Now the question is, how big will they be?
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Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump speak at their respective primary night events on April 26, 2016.
"This is a bigger win than we expected — all five," he told supporters at his election night rally.
Trump said he considers himself the "presumptive nominee" at this point, though he plans to continue campaigning hard in the remaining states, and he called Ohio Gov. John Kasich a "spoiled child" for staying in the GOP race after winning only one state.
"It's like a spoiled person that says 'I'm just staying, for whatever reason,' " he said.
Trump, who has been complaining that the delegate allocation process has been rigged against him, said Tuesday's victories are like knockouts in the boxing ring —you don't have to wait for a decision after the fight.
"The best way to beat the system is to have evenings like this," he said.
"We are really honored by this night."
Cruz dismissed the results before they were announced, saying at a rally in Indiana that the Northeast is Trump's home territory and that his campaign now "moves back to more favorable terrain" starting next week in Indiana and ending June 7 in California.
Kasich sent out a fundraising tweet, urging people to "Do your part to keep John Kasich's campaign moving ahead."
CLINTON WINS FOUR STATES; SANDERS GETS ONE
On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton won Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Connecticut, while Bernie Sanders notched a victory in Rhode Island.
Clinton signaled to supporters in Philadelphia that she understands the angst with the status quo that has animated the presidential race on both sides.
"Look I know there are still too many barriers holding too many Americans back," she said, adding that she intends to restore Americans' confidence "by delivering results."
"Together we are going to come together and we are going to solve the problems," Clinton vowed.
She also recounted how Trump earlier Tuesday accused her of playing the "woman card" to get elected and said if fighting for the middle class and equal pay for women means playing the woman card, then, "Deal me in."
Sanders' campaign signaled he isn't going anywhere, issuing a statement extolling his "resounding" victory in Rhode Island.
“I congratulate Secretary Clinton on her victories tonight, and I look forward to issue-oriented campaigns in the 14 contests to come," Sanders said.
He vowed to take his campaign all the way to the Democratic convention in order to amass as many delegates as possible to try and ensure progressive initiatives are included in the party platform, including breaking up the big banks, instituting universal health care and making public colleges and universities tuition-free.
"That’s why we are in this race until the last vote is cast," Sanders vowed.
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