Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

US Elections: Hillary Clinton 'has enough delegates to win Democratic nomination'

The former Secretary of State had a decisive weekend victory in Puerto Rico and a burst of last-minute support from superdelegates

Mrs Clinton has 1,812 pledged delegates won in primaries and caucuses
Mrs Clinton has 1,812 pledged delegates won in primaries and caucuses (GETTY)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Hillary Clinton will become the first woman to top the presidential ticket of a major US political party, according to an Associated Press count.

The former secretary of state, New York senator and first lady, has reached the 2,383 delegates needed to become the presumptive Democratic nominee.

She had a decisive weekend victory in Puerto Rico and a burst of last-minute support from superdelegates, who are party officials and officeholders.

Many of them are eager to wrap up the contest amid polls showing her in a tightening race with presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump.

Mrs Clinton has 1,812 pledged delegates won in primaries and caucuses. She also has the support of 571 superdelegates, according to the Associated Press count.

The AP surveyed all 714 superdelegates repeatedly in the past seven months, and only 95 remain publicly uncommitted.

While superdelegates will not formally cast their votes for Mrs Clinton until the party's July convention in Philadelphia, all those counted in her tally have unequivocally told the AP they will do so.

"We really need to bring a close to this primary process and get on to defeating Donald Trump," said Nancy Worley, a superdelegate who chairs Alabama's Democratic Party and provided one of the last endorsements to put Mrs Clinton over the top.

The victory arrived eight years after she conceded her first White House campaign to Barack Obama. Back then, she famously noted her inability to "shatter that highest, hardest glass ceiling".

Campaigning this time as the loyal successor to the nation's first black president, Mrs Clinton held off a surprisingly strong challenge from Vermont senator Bernie Sanders.

He mobilised millions with a fervently liberal message and his insurgent candidacy revealed a deep level of national frustration with politics-as-usual, even among Democrats who have controlled the White House since 2009.

PA

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in