Projection: Clinton Takes Nevada
(CNN)– Hillary Clinton will win the Nevada Democratic caucuses, CNN projects, a crucial victory that could ease concerns about her ability to secure the party’s nomination.
The win provides a jolt of momentum to the former secretary of state as she heads into the February 1 South Carolina Democratic primary and Super Tuesday on March 1.
Clinton faced a surprisingly spirited challenge here from Democratic rival Bernie Sanders. The two were in a virtual dead heat in recent days. A win by Sanders, who trounced Clinton in the New Hampshire primary, would have dealt Clinton a dramatic setback.
Clinton relied on strong turnout from Latino voters to hold Sanders at bay. Her surrogates fanned out across the Silver State this week, attempting to portray her as the more trustworthy candidate for Latinos.
Meanwhile in South Carolina, Republican voters are putting their strong record of anointing GOP nominees on the line. Polls there close at 7 p.m. ET where 50 of the 1,237 delegates needed to win the Republican nomination are at stake.
Donald Trump goes into the vote as the front-runner after a frenzied final week of campaigning that saw the billionaire real-estate mogul wage a rhetorical war with Pope Francis and several candidates bluntly accuse their rivals of peddling outright lies.
There was a furor over doctored pictures of Florida Sen. Marco Rubio in a Photoshopped handshake with President Barack Obama and a shouting match — again initiated by Trump’s willingness to slay sacred cows — over who was to blame for 9/11.
Former President George W. Bush himself was back on the trail for the first time since leaving the White House, showing that his campaign skills are as polished as ever. But the 43rd president may not have done enough to rescue his brother Jeb, who is struggling to gain traction.
The latest CNN Poll of Polls on Friday showed Trump potentially on the verge of another huge victory to back up his thumping win in New Hampshire last week.
The businessman led with 34% support, ahead of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz at 20% and Rubio at 15%.Bush was fourth with 11%, ahead of retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson at 8%.
Republican presidential candidate, Ohio Gov. John Kasich answers a question in a CNN South Carolina Republican Presidential Town Hall.
A Trump victory in South Carolina on Saturday would send new shockwaves through the Republican establishment and possibly augur another strong showing for the front-runner in Southern states with a similar ideological profile on Super Tuesday, March 1.
