Donald Trump, the billionaire bulldog with no ties to Washington and barely to his own party, was projected as the decisive, if not landslide winner of the crucial South Carolina Republican primary by the US networks.
The predictions came even as barely two per cent of the precincts were reporting results, but were partly based on exit polling. There was a brawl going on, meanwhile, for second place between Senator Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz. It remained to be seen if Jeb Bush would end strongly enough to remain in the contest.
A big victory in the Palmetto State for Mr Trump should give him a huge lift going forward with some in the party now wondering whether his grab for the party nomination can now be thwarted or if he is now unstoppable. History is on Mr Trump’s side. No Republican who has won both New Hampshire and South Carolina did not go on to win the nomination.
While Mr Cruz may pull out a second place, the night may prove worrisome for his candidacy if the gap between him and Mr Trump remains wide in a state replete with faith-based voters. Indeed a full three quarters of voters described themselves as born-again evangelicals in exit polling.
Mr Rubio, the Florida Senator, who fared poorly in New Hampshire, was clearly boosted by a big endorsement from the popular Governor of the state, Nikki Haley. He has attempted to distinguish himself as the candidate of a new generation of Republicans, stressing the new century and his youth.
Anger meanwhile has clearly been a driver of the Trump train. Just over half of the Republican voters said they felt betrayed by their own party leaders, a stunning number. Speculation that Mr Bush had gone to far at times, attack former President George W. Bush over the Iraq War, and then calling Pope Francis after he called his Christianity into question clearly was not borne out.
But he has also benefited from the crowded field beneath him, in particular with Mr Rubio, Mr Bush and Mr Kasich all battling to emerge as the establishment alternative to him and Mr Cruz.
However, his ability to replicate this win in the states around the corner, including Nevada on Tuesday and 12 states voting on so-called Super Tuesday one week later, may fade if the field thins out to a three- or even two-man race quickly.
