Trump Takes South Carolina GOP Primary; Clinton Wins Nevada Democratic Caucuses
COLUMBIA, S.C. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Donald Trump has won the South Carolina Republican primary, a second-straight victory for the billionaire real estate mogul after his first-place finish in New Hampshire.
Exit polls taken in South Carolina found that about three-quarters of Republican voters support a temporary ban on Muslims who are not American citizens from entering the United States. That's one of Trump's signature proposals.
A majority of voters looking for an outsider candidate supported Trump, providing a boost to the first-time candidate for office.
As Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio battled for second, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush announced he was dropping out of the Republican race for president.
PHOTOS: South Carolina GOP Primary | Nevada Democratic Caucuses | MORE: Full Coverage From CBS News
Following disappointing performances in both Iowa and New Hampshire, Bush pinned his hopes on South Carolina. But Bush was unable to break into the top three in South Carolina. He would likely have faced pressure from GOP leaders and donors to drop out had he stayed in the race.
Trump won at least 44 of the 50 delegates at stake in the South Carolina primary. Trump and Rubio were in a tight race in two congressional districts for the remaining six delegates.
Trump leads the overall race for delegates with 61. Cruz has 11 delegates and Rubio has 10.
South Carolina Republicans award delegates for being the statewide winner as well as for winning individual congressional districts. More votes are needed in individual congressional districts to award the final 12 delegates.
It takes 1,237 delegates to win the Republican nomination for president.
Trump's victory could foreshadow strong showings in Southern states that vote on March 1 when he could pile up the delegates that determine the nominee.
Earlier Saturday, Hillary Clinton won the Nevada Democratic caucuses, rebounding after a second-place finish to Bernie Sanders in New Hampshire.
The victory for the former secretary of state over the Vermont senator gives her two wins to one in the race for the Democratic nomination.
Clinton eked out a win in the Iowa caucuses before Sanders posted an overwhelming victory in New Hampshire's primary.
Surveys of caucus-goers taken as they entered caucus sites showed that older women turned out in force to support Clinton, pushing her to victory despite her continued struggles to attract young women.
Clinton's win in Nevada means she will pick up most of the state's delegates. With 35 at stake, Clinton will gain at least 18. Sanders will pick up at least 14. Three delegates remain to be allocated, based on votes in the congressional districts.
The results of the caucus are the first step in determining delegates who are expected to support candidates at the national convention.
To date, Clinton remains far ahead in the overall delegate count due to early endorsements from superdelegates, or party leaders who can support the candidate of their choice, no matter whom voters back in primaries and caucuses.
Including superdelegates, Clinton now has at least 501 delegates and Sanders at least 69.
It takes 2,383 delegates to win the nomination.
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