Kentucky Republican Caucus 2016: Trump Wins, Cruz Takes Second

Update at 10:50 p.m.:

Donald Trump is the winner of the 2016 Kentucky Republican caucus Saturday, according to CNN. Ted Cruz holds second place.

Updated 9:40 p.m.

Donald Trump was holding a commanding (and expected) lead over Ted Cruz in the Kentucky Republican caucuses as results came in Saturday night.

Here's where things stand, according to the AP:

Polls closed Saturday afternoon across Kentucky, where Trump was expected to take home another victory in the state's GOP caucuses following his dominant Super Tuesday showing.

The state's GOP said the full results will be available by 7 p.m. Eastern time.

Voting hours were 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time, according to the Kentucky Republican party’s website. Voters must have been registered as Republicans by December 31, 2015, the website says.

• Check back with Patch when live Kentucky GOP caucus results as soon as they are available.
• Caucus and Primary Results: Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Nebraska

“By holding caucuses on March 5, Kentucky Republicans will have more influence on the presidential race, at a time when candidates are still competing to win more states and delegates to secure the presidential nomination,” the website said.

Kentucky Democrats don’t caucus until May 17.

The state had 46 GOP delegates at stake, divided proportionally among the candidates depending on the results.

Trump should win the biggest share of those delegates, if the latest state poll is to be believed.

In a Western Kentucky Social Science Research Center poll released Monday, Trump led the field with 35-percent support among likely Republican voters. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio got 22 percent, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz 15 percent, neurosurgeon Ben Carson (who has since effectively dropped out of the race) 7 percent and Ohio Gov. John Kasich 6 percent.

Going into Saturday nationally, Trump led the field with 329 pledged delegates. Cruz had 231, Rubio had 110 and Kasich had 25.

SEE ALSO:

• Nebraska Democratic Caucus Live Results: Tight contest likely between Sanders, Clinton
• Maine Republican Caucus Live Results: Trump Favored to Win
• Louisiana Republican Primary Live Results: Donald Trump Tops State Polls
• Louisiana Democratic Primary Live Results: Hillary Clinton Leads State Polls

Images via Gage Skidmore, Flickr, used under Creative Commons