Donald Trump wins SC primary

(AP Photo/John Locher). Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, left, greets supporters with her husband and former President Bill Clinton at a Nevada Democratic caucus rally, Saturday, Feb. 20, 2016, in Las Vegas.

The race between Texas Senator Ted Cruz and Florida Senator Marco Rubio remained too close to call as of 9 p.m. Saturday.

John Kasich and Ben Carson were also well behind in SC, raising questions about the long-term prospects of their campaigns. As things stand he has little chance of winning the nomination, but he is hanging in there. Lindsey Graham at Bush’s primary-night party in New Hampshire.

However, Bush’s presence in the race and fundraising potential wasn’t enough to dissuade more than a dozen other Republicans from entering the race, including fellow Floridian, Sen. This is starting to look like rather sound advice.

“I’m proud of the campaign we have run”, he said. But Cruz did better with values-based voters, while Rubio did better with those who were looking ahead to November.

Mr Rubio declared the Republican nomination was now a “three-person race” and hopes to capitalise on Mr Bush’s withdrawal by securing support from mainstream Republicans.

Jeb Bush wanted SC voters to do for his campaign what they did for his brother’s 16 years ago.

Following a week that marked the threat of a lawsuit, an attack on former President George W. Bush and a slam from Pope Francis, Trump told supporters Saturday night, “When you win, it’s attractive”. Bush finished fourth in the New Hampshire Primary on February 8, and sixth during the Iowa Caucuses.

Both Rubio and Cruz are playing catch-up to Trump, who will take a strong majority – and potentially all – of South Carolina’s 50 delegates. “We are the only campaign that has beaten – and can beat – Donald Trump”. “It’s always been that the most favorable state for Jeb is South Carolina”, Graham said.

Mr Sanders vowed to fight on and set his sights on the 11 states that vote on “Super Tuesday”, March 1.

“I believe when Democrats assemble in Philadelphia in July at the convention we are going to see the results of one of the great political upsets in the history of the United States”, said Sanders.