Although the votes are still coming in, as of this writing Gov. John Kasich and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton can celebrate victories in Ohio’s primary Tuesday, clarifying the Democratic race and further confusing the Republican one. Kasich’s 42-36 percent win against Donald Trump is a small one, considering his success in the other states’ primaries.
Kasich lost every other state to Trump, and continues to trail the frontrunner with 129 delegates compared to Trump’s 568. Still this success has doubled the number of delegates on his side and will help as his race against Trump continues.
“I want you to know the campaign goes on,” Kasich said in his victory speech in Berea. “And I also want you to know that it’s been my intention to make you proud.”
The Ohio governor didn’t have nearly as much success in the four other states having their primaries today. He takes fourth place in Florida and Missouri and third place in North Carolina and Illinois – all losses to Trump.
Kasich wrangled Ohio’s major cities, taking the majority of Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati. Trump’s success was spread randomly throughout the state, garnering a lot of support in Mahoning and surrounding counties and a few counties in the southwest.
Super PACs supporting Kasich and Trump made big ad purchases in anticipation for the primary Tuesday. New Day for America spent almost $200,000 on ad buying in Ohio this month, releasing videos touting successes Kasich has built his campaign on: creating a surplus in his home state and bringing 400,000 jobs to Ohio.
Clinton won the state over by more than 20 percentage points, a hard loss for Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, whose chances at the Democratic nomination are quickly slipping away. Sanders suffered similar defeats in almost all the other states, losing by 31 percent in Florida.
Clinton’s Facebook page posted a simple “Thank you, Ohio” after her victory was called.