Politics & Government
Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton Taking Early Leads In Florida
Some of Florida's largest counties are leaning in the direction of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump as early results roll in.
CLEARWATER, FL — With 208 of its 299 precincts reporting in, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are leading their respective primaries in Florida’s Pinellas County by a landslide.
As of 7:35 p.m., Trump had 46.26 percent of the Pinellas Republican vote. Sen. Marco Rubio was a distant second at 22.68 percent.
In the Democratic race, Clinton led by 61.8 percent of the vote to Sen. Bernie Sanders 36.02 percent.
The story is the same in many of Florida’s larger counties.
Trump also led in nearby Hillsborough County, which contains the city of Tampa. His lead over Rubio was 40.96 percent to 28.04. On the Democratic side, Clinton led Hillsborough with 65.11 percent of the vote to Sanders’ 32.26 percent.
The story was the same in Brevard County where early results put Trump in the lead with 46.49 percent of the Republican vote to Rubio’s 24.66 percent. Early returns on the Democratic side gave Clinton a 60.02 percent lead over Sanders’ 37.33 percent.
Full results from the state of Florida are not likely to arrive until well after 8 p.m. The most recent political polls have Clinton and Trump winning the Sunshine State.
Gage Skidmore photos
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