Voters headed to the polls in five states on Tuesday in a set of key primary contests that will be pivotal in determining whether Republican frontrunner Donald Trump will be able to clinch the party nomination.
There are primaries in Florida, Ohio, Illinois, Missouri and North Carolina on Tuesday. The Northern Mariana Islands also hold a Republican caucus today.
Some party leaders and presidential candidates rallied behind a campaign to stop Trump in recent weeks, but if he succeeds in the winner-take-all states of Florida and Ohio, he will be much closer to amassing the 1,237 delegates required to win the Republican nomination. That would make it nearly impossible for another candidate to beat him to the nomination and would reduce the likelihood of a contested convention.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Donald Trump Is TIME's 2024 Person of the Year
- Why We Chose Trump as Person of the Year
- Is Intermittent Fasting Good or Bad for You?
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- The 20 Best Christmas TV Episodes
- Column: If Optimism Feels Ridiculous Now, Try Hope
- The Future of Climate Action Is Trade Policy
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
Write to Katie Reilly at Katie.Reilly@time.com