Jeb Bush pulls of out of presidential race

Mr Bush went on to finish sixth in the Iowa caucuses, and barely squeezed ahead of Mr Rubio in New Hampshire for a fourth place finish. He finished far out of the running in each of the first three states.

Jeb Bush ended his bid for president Saturday in SC, the state that helped clinch the Republican presidential nomination for his father and brother.

Hundreds of supporters at the Trump watch party in Spartanburg waved Trump signs and chanted “U-S-A!” “We are the only campaign that has beaten – and can beat – Donald Trump”.

“These geniuses”, he said.

However, with 99 percent of the vote counted, Cruz trialed more than 10 percent behind a triumphant Trump. “You don’t just add them together”.

Republican senators Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio are now locked in a battle for second place in the state.

With 99 percent of SC precincts reporting, Trump had 32.5 percent, followed by Rubio with 22.5 percent and Cruz with 22.3 percent.

Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz avoided a question on Sunday about whether he should’ve done better in SC, given the state’s large number of evangelical Christians, saying instead that his campaign is on track and has done better than people expected.

It is the biggest win to date for Trump as he will capture all 38 delegates.

A Trump victory could foreshadow strong showings in Southern states that vote on March 1 – when he could pile up the delegates that determine the nominee.

No Republican in recent times has won New Hampshire and SC and then failed to win the nomination. Lindsey Graham, a former presidential rival who had given emotional pleas over the last few days on Bush’s behalf.

South Carolina Republican primary took place as the Democrats held their caucus in Nevada, where Hillary Clinton was declared the victor, defeating Bernie Sanders by a disappointingly narrow margin.

If Rubio doesn’t win in any of South Carolina’s seven congressional districts – and the early returns suggest Trump will win all of them – he’ll get zero delegates.

Mrs Clinton won with 52.6% of the vote to Mr Sanders’ 47.4%.

“People [pundits] gave me no chance in SC”.

“Some may have doubted us, but we never doubted each other”, she told an audience of cheering supporters shortly after the results were announced. “This is your campaign”. In fact, Kasich has already turned his attention to delegate-rich Super Tuesday states which will vote on March 1, and is in MA watching results tonight, not SC.