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'We Made History': Hillary Clinton Declares Victory

Clinton appeared assured of clinching a majority of pledged Democratic delegates as voting wrapped up in six states during the election's last big primary night.
Hillary Clinton lors du rassemblement de ce mardi soir, le 7 juin 2016. (Photo de Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

The polls hadn't yet closed and she hadn't yet officially obtained a majority of pledged delegates. But Tuesday night, Hillary Clinton declared victory.

"Thanks to you," she told supporters at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, "we've reached a milestone. For the first time in our nation's history, a woman will be a major party's nominee." She added that the victory "belongs to generations of women and men who struggled and sacrificed and made this moment possible."

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The crowd at the rally went wild as she spoke — and as results of the last major night of primaries ahead of the parties' national conventions this summer were announced. Amid the cheering came chants of "Hillary!" and "Madam president!"

"I come from an area where you can't get up to the glass ceiling to break it, so it's awesome that we finally have a strong woman to show us that you can do those things," said 19-year-old Alisandra Welch, a West Virginian and former Bernie Sanders supporter who was at the Brooklyn rally.

Though California, the biggest prize of the night with 475 pledged Democratic delegates, had not yet finished voting as she spoke, Clinton looked assured of attaining the pledged delegates she needed to secure the nomination. Voters in New Jersey handed her an overwhelming win early, with Clinton beating Bernie Sanders by more than 25 points. The victory in the Garden State — along with a victory in New Mexico called about 15 minutes after she finished her speech — will widen Clinton's 291-delegate lead over Sanders. A combined total of 694 pledged delegates were up for grabs in the day's contests; coming into the primaries, Clinton had racked up 1,812 pledged delegates, compared to Sanders' 1,521.

Clinton also earned a narrow victory in South Dakota on Tuesday, which was called shortly before midnight ET, but a 51-49 point margin will likely send her and Sanders off from that state with an equal number of delegates.

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For the first time in our history, a woman will be a major party's nominee for President of the United States. — Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton)June 8, 2016

The New York Times reported Tuesday that Sanders, who won the North Dakota caucus and Montana primary, planned to lay off at least half of his campaign staff on Wednesday.

Related: Even Before Donald Trump, California Republicans Had a Huge Latino Problem

"Young people understand that they are the future of America and they intend to help shape that future," Sanders said while addressing enthusiastic supporters at a rally in Santa Monica, California at about 10:45pm PT. "And I am enormously optimistic about the future of our country when so many young people have come on board; our vision of social justice, economic justice, racial justice, and environmental justice must be the future of America. Our vision will be the future of America."

Sanders also made it clear he would not be dropping out of the race.

"We are going to fight hard to win the primary in Washington, DC," he said. "And then we take our fight for… justice to Philadelphia."

In a statement, the White House revealed that President Barack Obama called Clinton to congratulate her on securing the delegates she needs for the nomination, and called Sanders to congratulate him on a well-fought campaign. Obama will meet with Sanders Thursday at the White House.

The Associated Press had already declared Clinton the presumptive Democratic nominee Monday night, saying that by its count, she had secured enough support from superdelegates to seal the nomination. An angry Sanders campaign disputed the assessment, pointing out that superdelegates aren't formally granted a vote until after the national convention kicks off July 25 in Philadelphia. There was also speculation that the AP's news story — picked up by networks and other outlets — would reduce voter turnout for both candidates in California.

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'That shameless son-of-a-bitch. Send Trump down a drain and may God send him to hell without socks on.'

But millions of Californians still turned out. In Boyle Heights, a longstanding Los Angeles neighborhood that is 94 percent Latino, voters who spoke to VICE News appeared to be voting along the same lines as Democratic voters throughout the country — younger people said they preferred Sanders, while older people said they supported Clinton.

"She has the courage to fight for Hispanics," said Xochitl Saucedo, a retired music record factory worker and former teacher's aide. Saucedo, who emigrated from Mexico and became a US citizen more than 50 years ago, cursed floridly in Spanish at the mention of Donald Trump.

"That shameless son-of-a-bitch," she said. "Send him down a drain and may God send him to hell without socks on."

Related: Sanders Campaign Calls BS on Report That Clinton Has Sealed Democratic Nomination

The race has been much quieter on the Republican side since last month, when Trump became the presumptive Republican nominee. On Tuesday, he run all five Republican primaries.

In an email to followers Tuesday night, Trump, like Clinton, spoke of the historical significance of the race.

"Tonight, we close one chapter in history and begin another," he wrote. "I am going to be the best jobs President God ever created! We are going to revitalize our economy, rebuild our infrastructure, repeal and replace ObamaCare, strengthen our military, defeat ISIS, end illegal immigration and put America first!"

The final contest before the party conventions is the Democratic caucus in Washington, DC on June 14.

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