'Acela' primary kicks off in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware & Maryland
Will Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton carry the day? Five states and hundreds of delegates are on the line, giving Bernie Sanders, Ted Cruz and John Kasich a chance to change the dynamic of the presidential primary race before it winds down.
Going into the "Acela" primary day – so named after the Amtrak express train that serves millions of riders every year from Washington to Boston – here are all the candidates' delegate counts.
Clinton has 1,428 pledged delegates and 516 superdelegates. Sanders has 1,153 pledged delegates and 39 superdelegates. They will be competing in primaries in Connecticut (with 55 delegates), Delaware (21 delegates), Maryland (95 delegates), Pennsylvania (189 delegates), and Rhode Island (24 delegates). For the Democratic Party nomination, 2,383 total delegates are needed, and there are 1,629 still available.
WATCH: Can Bernie Win Another Super Tuesday?
Trump has 845 delegates, Cruz has 559 and Kasich has 148. They will also be competing in Connecticut (with 28 delegates), Delaware (16 delegates), Maryland (38 delegates), Pennsylvania (17 delegates) and Rhode Island (19 delegates). For the Republican Party nomination, 1,237 total delegates are required, meaning that if Trump clears the field Tuesday, he will be near close enough to declare only he has a mathematical pathway to the nomination, while Cruz and Kasich will have to hope for a contested convention to go their way. There are 733 GOP delegates still available.
All polling opens at 7:00 am except for Connecticut, which opens its polls at 6:00 am. All states will close their polls at 8:00 pm, and all are on East Coast time.
27 April 2016
01:07 GMTJoining ‘News With Ed’ as the Acela primary results roll in is RT America’s Manila Chan, reporting from the site of a Hillary Clinton rally in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a state Clinton is expected to win. Chan speaks with voters on the issues, and Mike O’Brien, State Assemblyman of the 31st ward. Then, Ed Schultz is joined by Manuel Rapalo from Maryland, moments after Clinton clinched the win. Rapalo also speaks with voters and Kathleen Mathews, congressional candidate (D-MD).
- 01:07 GMT
Clinton wins Pennsylvania.
Hillary Clinton picks up her third win of the night _ Pennsylvania. https://t.co/5zFlFBmf0epic.twitter.com/D6hLnLWRtA
— AP Politics (@AP_Politics) April 27, 2016 - 00:48 GMT
While voters wait for Democrat results from Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, many have taken to Twitter to express their feelings about the results.
It’s the delegates that matter, but if Trump keeps winning like he is tonight I dare the GOP to take the nomination away from him
— Taegan Goddard (@politicalwire) April 27, 2016my only consolation is that whenever I get back from school, I'll get to see people panicking online while Trump wins literally everything
— Technoblade (@Technothepig) April 27, 2016☆☆Funny how Cruz gets crushed when actual people vote.
— ✯✯Gene McVay✯✯ (@GeneMcVay) April 27, 2016Ted Cruz isn't even running in 2nd place in any of the states reporting so far. https://t.co/JZe0TV3FjM
— Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) April 27, 2016As I've said it comes down to superdelegates. Don't think Bernie can win now, no matter what he does: https://t.co/0P6WWOanC3#Election2016
— Jesse Ventura (@GovJVentura) April 27, 2016can't wait for the overly histronic think pieces celebrating the death of the bernie bros
— space dink (@andymoney69) April 27, 2016They're now playing "All I Do is Win" at the Hillary Clinton party. Ouch.
— Hunter Walker (@hunterw) April 27, 2016Sad to see Bernie lose in PA. No hatred for Hillary though. I will vote for her if she is the nominee. Never was a doubt about that.
— Griggsy (@Griggsy96) April 27, 2016 - 00:22 GMT
Trump has been declared winner of all five states, Clinton has been named winner of Delaware as well.
BREAKING: Donald Trump wins Republican primaries in Rhode Island and Delaware. @AP race call at 8:34 p.m. EDT. #Election2016#APracecall
— The Associated Press (@AP) April 27, 2016BREAKING: Hillary Clinton wins Democratic primary in Delaware. @AP race call at 8:38 p.m. EDT. #Election2016#APracecall
— The Associated Press (@AP) April 27, 2016 - 00:08 GMT
Almost instantaneously, the Associated Press called Connecticut, Maryland and Pennsylvania for Trump. At the same time, Maryland was called for Clinton.
BREAKING: Trump wins Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland; Clinton wins Maryland. @AP race call at 8 p.m. EDT. #Election2016#APracecall
— The Associated Press (@AP) April 27, 2016 26 April 2016
23:52 GMTToday is a big day for the presidential candidates, but they are not the only fighting for votes.
What to watch in MD #PrimaryDay: women could win Dem races in presidential, B'more mayoral, Senate, Congressional 4th&8th
— R L Goins (@CapCityRLG) April 26, 2016- 23:39 GMT
- 22:55 GMT
Polls have officially closed in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Stay tuned for updates!
- 21:25 GMT
The 2016 primary elections have seen a growing number of complaints and frustrations towards politics in general as well as the media's coverage. Voters took their complaints to Twitter, using the hashtag #ElectionPlotTwist to humorously voice their frustrations.
Michelle stays on as First Lady indefinitely #ElectionPlotTwistpic.twitter.com/zzGwaFwmjm
— liv (@_a_littl) April 26, 2016Steve Harvey to announce results.... #ElectionPlotTwistpic.twitter.com/wpV5GlU9WF
— Raleigh! (@RaleighOnTheAir) April 26, 2016The chair announces its candidacy #ElectionPlotTwistpic.twitter.com/Z1yapqcVoM
— Jonathan Baker (@TheRealJonBaker) April 26, 2016Ted Cruz quits the race, because if he won, who would ask people riddles when they walk over the bridge he lives under? #ElectionPlotTwist
— Brett Osinoff (@BrettOsinoff) April 26, 2016Turns out Trump was born in Kenya #ElectionPlotTwist
— Jeremy Dallas (@DALLASNITES) April 26, 2016#ElectionPlotTwist Bernie was legally declared dead in 1978
— MustBeTheMeds (@MustBeTheMeds) April 26, 2016Hillary Clinton is Keyser Soze #ElectionPlotTwist@HuffPostComedy
— Laurie Crosswell (@lauriecrosswell) April 26, 2016 - 20:53 GMT
Donald Trump's daughter Tiffany voted for her father in the Pennsylvania Republican primary.
I just voted! Get out & vote today! #Trump2016 #PrimaryDay #PAPrimary #TrumpTrain 🚂💨🇺🇸
— Tiffany Trump (@TiffanyATrump) Apr 26 2016The 22-year-old is a senior at the University of Pennsylvania.
