Hillary Clinton Claims Nomination and Wins New Jersey, New Mexico, South Dakota

Former secretary of state poised to become first woman ever to win the nomination of a major American political party

Getty Images

Hillary Clinton added primary victories in New Jersey, South Dakota and New Mexico to her resume on Tuesday, as the former secretary of state claimed the Democratic nomination for the presidency.

“Thanks to you, we’ve reached a milestone, the first time in our nation’s history that a woman will be a major party’s nominee,” she told supporters at her Brooklyn headquarters.

The former secretary will pick up the majority of the 126 pledged delegates on the line in the Garden State, as well as the majority in New Mexico (34 delegates) and South Dakota (20 delegates).

Democrats in California (475) and Montana (21 delegates) also voted Tuesday, but the results weren’t expected to come in until later in the evening.

Meanwhile, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders pulled off a victory in the caucuses in North Dakota, where 18 pledged delegates are at stake, and was awaiting on results from California — whose 475 delegates are the biggest prize of the primary season.

Clinton reached the number of delegates needed to clinch the Democratic nomination prior to six states holding voting contests on Tuesday, the AP reported Monday night.

Clinton, whose first failed attempt at the Democratic nomination ended eight years to the day, is now poised to become the first woman ever to win the nomination of a major political party in American history.

Just before polls closed in New Jersey, the Clinton campaign released a slickly produced victory video that features women’s rights highlights from throughout history.

Clinton entered today’s voting contests with 1,812 pledged delegates in primaries and caucuses, according to AP’s count. She also has the support of 571 superdelegates.

The AP surveyed all 714 superdelegates repeatedly in the past seven months, with only 95 superdelegates remaining publicly uncommitted.

Though superdelegates will not formally cast their votes until the party’s July convention in Philadelphia, those tallied have told the AP they will “unequivocally” support Clinton.

It takes 2,383 total delegates to win the nomination.

Donald Trump won the primaries in Montana, New Mexico, New Jersey and South Dakota on the GOP side of things, in what’s all but a formality as he has already clinched the nomination.

Comments