Donald J. Trump won the Florida Republican primary on Tuesday, according to The Associated Press, dealing a blow to Sen. Marco Rubio in his home state. Hillary Clinton was the winner in the Democratic primary
Trump entered the day with a wide lead in the polls and fended off an onslaught of negative advertisements from his rivals. The Manhattan businessman, who has a residence and several significant investments in the state, was able to appeal to voters with his message of economic populism and his hard line on immigration.
The loss is a significant setback for Rubio, whose fortunes have quickly faded despite his standing as a favorite of the party establishment and who now must consider whether to continue his bid in an effort to deny Trump the nomination.
Clinton was expected to do well in the Sunshine State, capitalizing on its older population and large numbers of minority voters. Sanders continues to do well with younger, white voters but has struggled to broaden his base.
The victory by Clinton adds to the challenge that Sanders will face as he tries to overtake her for the Democratic nomination.
There were 214 delegates at stake for Democrats in Florida and 99 delegates at stake in Florida, which is a winner-take-all state for Republicans.