Donald Trump was declared the winner of the Republican primary in New York on Tuesday.
Multiple outlets projected Trump the victor immediately after polls closed at 9 P.M. EST Tuesday night. Trump was capturing 60.5 percent of the vote with nearly all precincts reporting, while Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas) followed behind with 25 percent and 14.5 percent, respectively.
Trump remains the frontrunner for the nomination following the results out of the Empire State, where 95 delegates were up for grabs.
Trump, a native of New York, was expected to win the Republican primary there by a large margin. According to a Real Clear Politics average of polls, Trump led his competitors by roughly 30 percentage points going into Tuesday’s contest.
While Trump remains in the delegate lead, speculation has built around the possibility of a brokered convention in July should the business mogul fail to win the 1237 delegates necessary to capture the nomination outright. Trump’s unconventional candidacy has alienated some party leaders, including 2012 GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney, who delivered a scathing rebuke of the business mogul last month.
Cruz has recorded victories in key states like Texas and, more recently, Wisconsin, and some Republicans have begun to rally around the Texas senator, who could win the nomination on a second ballot at the GOP’s convention in July. Kasich, alternatively, has won a single primary, his home state of Ohio.
Trump’s campaign has been characterized by controversial statements and gaffes, though his support has remained strong for months.
Trump has been scrutinized for his proposal to build a wall at the southern border, his criticism of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and his advocacy for waterboarding and other torture techniques. Trump also recently indicated that women who get abortions should be punished, a move that he was forced to walk back after outcry.
The results out of New York came following a shakeup at the Trump campaign. The business mogul recently hired two new top staffers to head operations in upcoming states, a shift that reportedly led the campaign’s national field director to resign.