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2nd LD Writethru: Republican Cruz, Democrat Sanders defeat presidential front-runners in Wisconsin primaries

Xinhua, April 6, 2016 Adjust font size:

U.S. Republican Ted Cruz and Democrat Bernie Sanders on Tuesday scored crucial victories in Wisconsin primaries over their party's front-runners, as the pair were scrambling to reinvigorate their pursuit of the White House.

Early results with 23 percent of all votes counted show Cruz won 52 percent compared to Donald Trump's 30 percent, while in the Democratic field, Sanders beat Hillary Clinton with 54 percent to 46 percent with 27 percent votes counted.

Speaking to supporters Tuesday night at a rally in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Cruz called his victory a "turning point," predicting victories beyond Wisconsin would ultimately land him 1,237 delegates required to win the GOP nomination.

On the Democratic side, Sanders finished Tuesday on a winning streak, defeating Clinton six times in the last seven Democratic contests.

Mathematically, the victories of Cruz and Sanders in Wisconsin did not change the contour of the races where Trump and Clinton continued to hold almost an insurmountable delegate lead.

Trump entered the contest on Tuesday with 736 delegates, 267 delegates more than Cruz, while Clinton led Sanders by 263 pledged delegates, according to the latest delegate count by the New York Times.

However, Tuesday's victories will be crucial for Cruz and Sanders to build momentum as the contests now move to New York, the home turf for both Trump and Clinton.

Also, Cruz's sweeping victory on Tuesday means an even more precarious path for Trump to garner 1,237 delegates before the contested party convention in July.

Anti-Trump Republicans have suggested that if Trump falls short of the 1,237 delegates, he might be stopped at the first ballot at the nominating convention in July, giving Cruz a chance to snatch the nomination from the New York billionaire developer. Endi