Note: We will provide live results as they happen at the bottom of this post.
Finally, the U.S. presidential candidates have arrived at the third significant cluster of primaries and caucuses of this U.S. election. Tonight could be different, major in fact, with some large states finally casting their votes. Not only are these delegate-rich states, but some are winner take-all shindigs, which turns this into judgment day for Marco Rubio and John Kasich. If these two Republicans fail to win their home states, they’re both effectively out of the race. By many accounts, Kasich is expected to come close to his goal while Rubio will likely short circuit. When that happens, Donald Trump’s victory speech surely won’t be kind.
This Tuesday, five states — Florida (Rubioland), Illinois, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio (Kasichland) — will offer up results. Trump could lose a state or two, maybe even to Ted Cruz, and it remains to be seen whether the kids’ dinner GOP debate or the Chicago protests will work a Republican effect. On the Democrat side, we may see a Rust Belt upset by Bernie Sanders after he swept Michigan away from Hillary Clinton, who has endured a few gaffes and uncomfortable moments since the polls last opened. In all likelihood, this evening could indicate a long chess battle by the Dems while Trump continues a speedy game of checkers on the Republican game board.
Stay tuned for this long evening. Florida results will roll in as soon as 7 p.m. EST, but the rest of the results may trickle for hours.
Democrat State Wins Before Tuesday
Clinton (12 States): Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nevada, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.
Sanders (8 States): Colorado, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Vermont
Republican State Wins Before Tuesday
Trump (15 States): Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia
Cruz (8 States): Alaska, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Texas, Oklahoma, Wyoming
Rubio (1 State): Minnesota (plus the District of Columbia and the territory of Puerto Rico)
Delegates Needed For A Party Nomination
Democrats: 2383 (Clinton has 1235 before Tuesday. Sanders follows with 580. Clinton’s count includes several hundred superdelegates, some of whom are uncommitted.)
GOP: 1237 (Trump has 460 before Tuesday. Cruz follows with 370, Rubio with 163, and Kasich with 63.)
Here we go with the Super Tuesday Sequel results, and there’s a special Sanders message at the end.
Florida
GOP: Trump (46%) demolishes Rubio (27%); Cruz (17%) and Kasich (7%) pick up the rest. In the aftermath of this fatal blow, Rubio suspends his campaign despite a valiant effort.
Democrats: Clinton (65%) scores a significant win over Sanders (33%).
Illinois
GOP: Trump (39%) scores another big state; Cruz (31%), Kasich (20%), and Rubio (8%) pick up the leftovers.
Democrats: Clinton (51%) wins with Sanders (48%) trailing behind her.
Missouri — Virtual Tie For Both Parties
GOP: Trump (40.8%) and Cruz (40.6%) remain neck and serial killer neck; Kasich (10%), and Rubio (6%) follow.
Democrats: No tie-breaker yet for Clinton (49.6%) and Sanders (49.4%).
North Carolina
GOP: Trump (40%) scores a victory over Cruz (37%) with Kasich (13%) and Rubio (8%) straggling.
Democrats: Clinton (54%) knocks down Sanders (41%) yet again.
Ohio
GOP: Gov. Kasich (47%) claims his home state as his first win. He managed to fend off Trump (36%), Cruz (13%), and Rubio (2%).
Democrats: Clinton (57%) takes another state from the Bern (43%).
Northern Mariana Islands (Caucus)
GOP: Trump (73%) leaves no room for Cruz (24%), Kasich (2%), or Rubio (1%).
Democrats (March 12): Clinton (54%) takes this one over Sanders (35%).
NOTE: The Bern not only lost big tonight, but the three major cable news networks — Fox News, CNN and MSNBC — ignored his concession speech to wait around for another windy Trump press conference. The same thing happened to Clinton last week. So, here’s some airtime for the Bern, who says he’s “defied all expectations” and will continue down his hopeful path.