WICHITA, Kan. — Ted Cruz cinched double-barreled victories in Kansas and Maine, and Republican front-runner Donald Trump captured Louisiana on Saturday, fresh evidence that there's no quick end in sight to the fractious GOP race for president. The two men were in a tight battle for bragging rights in Kentucky.
On the Democratic side, Bernie Sanders notched wins in Nebraska and Kansas, while front-runner Hillary Clinton snagged Louisiana, another split decision from the American people.
"God bless Kansas," Cruz declared during a rally in Idaho, which votes in three days. "The scream you hear, the howl that comes from Washington D.C., is utter terror at what we the people are doing together."
The Texas senator defeated Trump easily in Kansas and Maine, and Trump rolled to victory in Louisiana, underscoring that his appeal knows no geographic limitation. Partial returns showed Cruz and Trump locked in a close race in Kentucky.
Cruz, a tea party favorite, attributed his strong showing to conservatives coalescing behind his candidacy, calling it a "manifestation of a real shift in momentum."
