Trump, Clinton declared winners in Missouri ahead of NY polls

In some good news to Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton ahead of the crucial primaries here, the two US Presidential front-runners who suffered a string of losses recently were today declared the winners of the close Missouri primaries, nearly a month after the polls were held.

Announcing the results of the Republican and Democratic primaries held on March 15, Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander tweeted: “I certified the presidential preference primary. @HillaryClinton and @realDonaldTrump have officially won Missouri.”

The votes in both parties were too close to call. In the Republican primary polls, Trump and rival Texas Senator Ted Cruz were neck-and-neck, as were Clinton and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders in the Democratic contest.

In the final tally, Trump pipped Cruz by just 0.2 percentage points 40.9 per cent to Cruz’s 40.7. Trump will receive 37 delegates to Cruz’s 15. Ohio Governor John Kasich will receive no delegates.

On the Democratic side, the 68-year-old former secretary of state also led Sanders also by 0.2 percentage points 49.6 per cent to his 49.4. She won the election by about 1,500 votes of the 630,000 cast in the Democratic primary.

Each candidate will receive 34 delegates, but with super delegates included, Clinton will have 46, CNN reported.

69-year-old Trump is looking to bounce back from a decisive loss in last week’s Wisconsin primary, while Clinton has lost eight of the last nine Democratic contests.

Reacting to the news of his victory, the real estate tycoon said, “Thank you to the great people of Missouri who voted for me and the state officials who worked to ensure the votes of the people mattered.”

“It is great to have yet another victory as we look forward to the upcoming primary in New York,” Trump said in a statement ahead of the crucial primaries here on April 19.

New York will award 95 Republican delegates while the two Democratic candidates are fighting over 247 delegates in the city.