COLUMBIA, S.C.—Donald Trump claimed victory in South Carolina’s Republican primary Saturday, deepening his hold on the GOP presidential field as the contest moves into the South. Out West, Hillary Clinton pulled out a crucial win in Nevada’s Democratic caucuses.
Clinton’s win eased the rising anxieties of her backers, who feared a growing challenge from Bernie Sanders. At a raucous victory rally in Las Vegas, she lavished praise on her supporters and declared, “This one is for you.”
Trump’s strong showing in South Carolina marked his second straight victory in the Republican primaries and strengthened his unexpected claim on the Republican nomination. Underscoring the electorate’s frustration with Washington, he was backed by nearly 4 in 10 of those who were angry at the federal government, and a third of those who felt betrayed by politicians in the Republican Party.
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Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, a pair of freshman senators, were locked in a race for second place. Jeb Bush and other candidates lagged behind.
For both parties, the 2016 election has laid bare voters’ anger with the political establishment and the influence of big money in the political system. The public mood has upended the usual political order, giving Sanders and Trump openings while leaving more traditional candidates scrambling to find their footing.
Trump’s victory comes after a week in which he threatened to sue one rival, accused former President George W. Bush of lying about the Iraq war and even tussled with Pope Francis on immigration. His victory was another sign that the conventional rules of politics often don’t apply to the brash billionaire.
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