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26 May 2016

Donald Trump is definitely the Republican presidential candidate

Previously unpledged delegates have revealed their support for the billionaire, taking him past the delegate tally required.

By Henry Zeffman Henry Zeffman

Donald Trump has attained the number of delegates required to become the Republican Party’s presidential nominee. According to Associated Press, Trump has reached 1,238 delegates, one more than needed to secure his place as the Republican candidate in November’s general election.

Trump has been the presumptive Republican nominee since early May, when his last remaining rivals Ted Cruz and John Kasich suspended their campaigns. Still, with five primaries still to come and some delegates not required to reveal their preference until the Republican national convention in July, Trump was not quite over the line.

Associated Press has calculated that Trump is in fact now secure as nominee after speaking to previously unpledged delegates who revealed their support for the bombastic billionaire. Trump, whose candidacy was initially seen as a publicity stunt, has so far come top in 34 of the primary and caucus contests.  

On the Democratic side, Bernie Sanders has vowed to continue to pursue the party’s presidential nomination to the party’s convention, where delegates are officially allocated and the party’s candidate declared. However, Sanders currently has the support of just 1,539 delegates compared to Hillary Clinton’s 2,305, with 2,383 needed for the nomination. 

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