HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton came away big winners in
Hillary Clinton
Pennsylvania’spresidential primaries Tuesday, as Democrats backed their party establishment’s choice for U.S. Senate and an indicted Philadelphia-area congressman lost his bid for a 12th term.
On a day where more than 3 million people voted, Trump received support across the demographic spectrum, winning a majority of Republican men and women, a majority of voters at all income levels and voters from cities, suburbs and rural areas, according to results from an exit poll conducted for The Associated Press and
Donald Trump
television networks by Edison Research.
Speaking in New York, Trump declared the GOP primary stakes “over,” while Clinton, speaking in Philadelphia, urged Democrats to unify against a Republican candidate who would “pit Americans against each other.”
Clinton prevailed with majorities among voters 45 and older, as well as with women, black voters and those looking for an experienced candidate who can win in November, but lost millennials to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Clinton also turned in a solid performance in Philadelphia and its suburbs, where two in five Democrats live.
With almost all precincts reporting, Trump won every Pennsylvania county. He netted 57 percent to 22 percent for Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and 19 percent for Ohio Gov. John Kasich.
Clinton had 56 percent to 44 percent for Sanders. More than 3 million ballots were cast, but Pennsylvania did not break a primary turnout record.
Clinton now has 2,141, or 90 percent of the 2,383 delegates needed to win the nomination. Sanders has 1,321. With 950 delegates, Trump has 77 percent of the delegates needed to win the nomination. He has to win slightly more than half of the remaining delegates to get there.
Voters also decided hotly contested Democratic primary races for U.S. Senate and state attorney general.
Democrats backed their party establishment’s choice, Katie McGinty, for U.S. Senate to challenge Republican incumbent Pat Toomey in November. They rejected former congressman Joe Sestak, who six years ago nearly won the office.
McGinty was endorsed by President Barack Obama and was aided by millions of dollars from the party and its allies. Sestak lost to Toomey by just 2 percentage points in 2010, but was spurned by a party establishment that views him as a maverick.
With almost all precincts reporting, McGinty had 42 percent, compared to 33 percent for Sestak and 20 percent for Fetterman.
Democratic Party leaders recruited McGinty, who had spent more than a decade as a state and national environmental policy official. The money they poured into her campaign bought a surge of TV advertising, which helped her erase a polling gap with Sestak. The fall contest could help determine control of the U.S. Senate.
She beat back sustained criticism from her rivals that she had taken advantage of a revolving door and had been paid handsomely by energy companies she had once regulated.
Democrats picked Montgomery County Commissioner Josh Shapiro in a three-way race for the attorney general nomination against two career county prosecutors, and Republicans nominated state Sen. John Rafferty, of Montgomery County, over a career prosecutor and police officer.
The candidates will vie to succeed Democrat Kathleen Kane, who decided not to seek a second term while she faces trial over allegations she unlawfully leaked grand jury information. Kane, the first woman and first Democrat to be elected the state’s attorney general, has denied the accusations.
In congressional races, Democratic U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah lost his bid for a 12th term in a four-way primary as he faces trial on federal racketeering and bribery charges in May. Fattah, of Philadelphia, has denied any wrongdoing. Longtime House Rep. Dwight Evans won in the heavily Democratic district.
