From Lalit K Jha
Washington, Mar 18 (PTI) Hillary Clinton has taken big strides toward securing the Democratic nomination by winning all five primaries in a multi-state vote for US presidential poll after her rival Senator Bernie Sanders conceded defeat in keenly-contested Missouri.
Sanders, who was trailing by just 1500 votes in the Missouri primary elections on Tuesday, said he would not request for recounting of votes and has conceded defeat to Clinton.
"I prefer to save the taxpayers of Missouri some money," Sanders said through spokesman Michael Briggs yesterday.
The 68-year-old former Secretary of State has swept the 'Super Tuesday 2.0' by bagging Florida and North Carolina while also posting crucial victories over Sanders in the industrial Midwest by taking Ohio and Illinois.
Results of the Republican presidential primary in Missouri is yet to be officially declared as it is too close to call.
Front-runner Donald Trump is leading his rival Senator Ted Cruz by 1700 votes. So far, Cruz has not conceded defeat.
Since the margin of victory in each case is less than one percentage point, CNN and other US networks said they will not project a winner in either contest.
Missouri saw more than 1.5 million ballots, or 39 per cent of registered voters, cast on Tuesday. That was the highest amount recorded for a Presidential primary in Missouri history. The previous record of 1.4 million, or 36 per cent, was set during the 2008 primary.
Missouri went to polls along with the key states of Florida, Illinois, North Carolina and Ohio.
