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Super Tuesday: Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton 'on course for big victories' Super Tuesday: Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton enjoy big victories - but can't deliver the killer blow
(about 3 hours later)
Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton appeared to be on course for big victories on Super Tuesday as the first projections and early results came in from across the breadth of America. The chaos and drama of Super Tuesday ended with Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton striding closer to their goal of seizing their parties’ nomination, but failing to deliver a killer blow to their political rivals.
CNN projected that the former secretary of state had won Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas and Alabama, while Mr Sanders was projected to have won Vermont, his home state, and Oklahoma. With results collated from 11 of the 12 states that voted on the second most important political day of the year, Donald Trump had won seven states, while Ms Clinton had also secured seven, plus American Samoa. Their victories put them in a powerful position ahead of the flurry of races to take place in the next two weeks.
Meanwhile, the network projected Donald Trump as the winner in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Virginia and Massachusetts. It said that he, Marco Rubio and John Kasich were leading in the northeastern state of Vermont, while Senator Cruz was projected to have hung on to his home state of Texas. Yet while they helped load up their delegate tally, they were unable to enact the sort of blow-out to be able to yet plausibly claim victory. For the Democrats, the race remains perhaps the most still unsettled after Bernie Sanders was able to win four states, and push Ms Clinton very close in Massachusetts.
The seven states were the first of twelve where voting was taking place on Tuesday where polls had closed. Before 9.00pm, CNN and other networks were able to project that both Mr Trump and Ms Clinton had collected eleven victories between them. For the Republicans, Senator Ted Cruz won both his home state of Texas as well as Oklahoma, while Senator Marco Rubio’s consolation prize on an otherwise dismal night was a win in Minnesota. 
Vermont, the home state of Mr Sanders was always likely to go to the senator, although it only carries a modest 26 Democratic delegates. Ironically, that result may suit Mr Trump perfectly as it means the field of rivals will remain untouched, dividing the opposition to him. Of more concern would have been a situation whereby the trailing candidates dropped out and allowed those opposed to the tycoon to rally around a single candidate.
Mr Sanders was quick to seize on his victory and address supporters in Burlington. "It's good to be home. I have been all over this country but I think that it's the greatest thing to come home and see all my friends," he said. “I feel awfully good,” Mr Trump said, speaking to reporters in Florida.
"You know we want to win in every part of the country. But it means so much to me that the people who know me best have voted so strongly to put us in the White House."  Now well ahead of his rivals in the race to accumulate delegates, Mr Trump attempted a less combative, arguably presidential, mien, congratulating Senator Cruz for his wins, though offering a less flattering assessment of Mr Rubio’s chances, who, he said, had been “very, very nasty” to him on the trail in recent days. 
Although, Mr Sanders will have been pleased by the emotionald and psychological boost of that win, Georgia and Virginia, which carry 116 and 110 delegates respectively for the Democrats, and 79 and 49 delegates for the Republican, would have been much bigger prizes. He had words of reassurance for those abroad startled by his rise. “I am going to be very good for the world, I am going to get along with the world.”
As it was, early returns from Virginia suggested Ms Clinton was leading Mr Sanders 67-32, while in Georgia she was leading him 81-18. In a sign of growing confidence, Mr Trump had harsh words, however, for Ms Clinton asking how she could lament the state of the country in her stump speeches when she had been so integral to President Barack Obama’s first term in office. “She’s been there for so long,” he noted. “If she hasn't straightened it out by now, she’s not going to straighten it out in the next four years.”
Mr Trump and Ms Clinton had gone into Super Tuesday with high expectations. A CNN-ORC poll put Mr Trump on 49 points, with Senator Marco Rubio on 16 per cent, Senator Ted Cruz on 15 per cent, Ben Carson on 10 per cent and Ohio Govenor John Kasich on 6 per cent. Mr Trump’s support added up to more than that of all of this rivals combined. Ms Clinton, who only a few weeks ago was being written off by many Democrats, also appeared at a victory rally in Florida, fixing her gaze firmly on the general election later this year and a likely showdown with Mr Trump.
“Thank you all so much. What a Super Tuesday,” she said, speaking at a celebration rally in Miami. “All across our country Democrats have voted to break down barriers so we can all rise together.”
Mr Cruz, who was desperately pleased to have held onto Texas, sought to promote himself as the only candidate who could beat Mr Trump, and then Ms Clinton.
He went as far as to appeal to his fellow contenders - Mr Rubio, John Kasich and Ben Carson - to suspend their campaigns and allow people focus on the effort to stop the real estate mogul.
“So long as the field remains divided, Donald Trump’s path to the nomination remains more likely – and that would be a disaster for Republicans, for conservatives and for the nation,” he said. 
“Our campaign is the only campaign that has beaten, that can beat and that will beat Donald Trump. For the candidates who have to yet won a state, who have not racked up significant delegates, I ask you to prayerfully consider our coming together [and] uniting.”
Mr Trump and Ms Clinton had gone into Super Tuesday with high expectations. A CNN-ORC poll put Mr Trump on 49 points, with Senator Marco Rubio on 16 per cent, Senator Ted Cruz on 15 per cent, Ben Carson on 10 per cent and Ohio Governor John Kasich on 6 per cent. Mr Trump’s support added up to more than that of all of this rivals combined.
Meanwhile, the same poll put Ms Clinton comfortably clear of Democratic rival Bernie Sanders, scoring them 55-38 respectively.Meanwhile, the same poll put Ms Clinton comfortably clear of Democratic rival Bernie Sanders, scoring them 55-38 respectively.
Mr Rubio, who won in Minnesota, securing 37 per cent of the vote and pushing Mr Trump into third place behind Mr Trump, said he had every intention to continue is campaign. His home state, Florida, votes on March 15.
“For the first time in a long time, young Americans believe the American Dream is dead,” he claimed.
 “We are going to send the message that the party of Lincoln and Reagan and the presidency of the United States will never be held by a con artist.”