WASHINGTON – Donald Trump can thank male voters for his big victory in the Indiana Republican primary.
The billionaire won the support of Republican men by a more than 20-point margin over Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who dropped out of the presidential race after his defeat Tuesday night.
VOTE HERE: DID TED CRUZ MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION?
At Cruz' Houston campaign headquarters staffers declined to speak on camera, remaining in the office listening to news coverage. Only one tearful staffer gave a comment, but asked not to be identified.
"I've never worked for someone so honorable, or amazing or so true to his word," the staff member told KPRC 2.
The chairman of the Republican National Committee is calling for unity, saying that Trump will be the "presumptive" Republican nominee for president.
"The party is always going to get united. I think We’re facing very weak democrat opponents. Hillary Clinton is one of the weakest opponents the democrats have ever put up. I’m confident republicans are going to unite," Paul Simpson, chairman of Harris County Republican Party, said when asked if the Republican Party would band together behind Trump.
Reince Priebus took to Twitter Tuesday after Cruz ended his bid for the GOP nomination, saying that Trump "will be presumptive @GOP nominee, we need to unite and focus on defeating @HillaryClinton." He ended his message with the hashtag (hash)NeverClinton.
Bernie Sanders wins the Democratic presidential primary in Indiana, scoring a late primary season victory over front-runner Hillary Clinton.
The exit polls also show that Democrats say they're energized and optimistic about their party's nomination process, while Republicans say they're worried their party is being torn apart.
Indiana voters also overwhelmingly expressed concern about the state of the U.S. economy. And most say they don't see much of a fairness issue in the GOP nomination process or much of a difference in the political tactics employed so far by candidates in the presidential race.
And then there were two. A strategist for Trump's remaining rival, John Kasich, says the Ohio governor will continue his fight for the Republican nomination until the end.
John Weaver said in a statement Tuesday that "as long as it remains possible. Gov. Kasich will fight for the higher path."
Kasich was running a distant third in the Indiana race before Cruz suspended his campaign.
Weaver said "Cruz ran a strong campaign, stood for conservative principles, and exposed a lot about Donald Trump."