Politics
Samantha Lee/Business Insider
After polls close in five key states on Tuesday, the shape of the Republican and Democratic presidential races is likely to be clearer.
Voters in Ohio, Florida, Illinois, Missouri, and North Carolina could play key roles in dictating whether the frontrunners on both sides lock up their respective races early, or whether the races will drag on for the next several months.
On the right, Republican presidential candidates Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Ohio Gov. John Kasich are looking to deny frontrunner Donald Trump victory in their home states.
Ohio and Florida allocate all of their delegates to the highest-performing GOP candidate, rather than divvying up the delegates proportionally. With 66 delegates up for grabs in Ohio and 99 in Florida, a win in either state would put even more distance between Trump and his rivals. Victory in Florida alone could put Trump almost halfway to securing the 1,237 delegates needed to clinch the nomination.
On the left, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is looking to prove the public polling wrong again by winning primaries in Illinois, Ohio, and Missouri.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton appears poised to solidify her strength in the South with likely wins in North Carolina and Florida, which could allow her to sustain losses in Tuesday's primary contests while still coming out with her delegate lead intact.
Republicans:
- North Carolina
- Florida
- Illinois
- Missouri
- Ohio
Democrats:
- North Carolina
- Florida
- Illinois
- Missouri
- Ohio
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7:09 P.M. ET - Trump started the race with a massive lead over his opponents when the first official results came in. With 5% of precincts reporting, CNN noted the former reality-television star had 47.1% support. Rubio, the second-place candidate, had 22% support.