Trump Wins Big in South Carolina; Bush Ends Campaign

Billionaire Donald Trump captured a decisive win in South Carolina Saturday night as voters in the Palmetto state cast ballots for the Republican nomination for President.

This is Trump's second-straight win in the race for the White House following his big win in the New Hampshire primary earlier this month.

Trump, tweeted ahead of his overwhelming win in the state, "People (pundits) gave me no chance in South Carolina.  Now it looks like a possible win.  I would be happy with a one vote victory (HOPE)!"

He told supporters in his victory speech that running for president "it's nasty, it's mean, it's vicious.  When you win, it's beautiful."

The Palmetto State has a history of nasty campaign tricks and this time was no different. Click on the video to watch highlights of the candidate duking it out.

"This has become a three-person race, and we will win the nomination," he told the crowd.
                       
And after an embarrassing fourth place finish behind the top three candidates in South Carolina, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush announced that he was withdrawing from the race.

"The people of Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina have spoken," a choked-up Bush said. "And I really respect their decision. So tonight, I am suspending my campaign."

South Carolina was viewed as a last early voting state for Bush to make a mark. He told supporters he tried to stay true to what he believes. 

"I'm proud of the campaign that we've run to unify our country and to advocate conservative solutions," Bush said. "The presidency is bigger than any one person. It's certainly bigger than any one candidate."

A buoyant Senator Rubio addressed supporters early in the evening.

"This has become a three-person race, and we will win the nomination," he told the crowd.

He spoke about Jeb Bush's exit from the race, saying he has respect and admiration for Bush and his family and calling him a great governor and public servant.

"I pray for him and his family tonight as they move forward in other endeavors in their life."

Rubio also said the time is now for a new era of conservatism.

"The children of the Reagan Revolution are ready to assume the mantle of leadership," he said.

"We are ready to do for the next generation what Ronald Reagan did for ours."

The son of a bartender is "one step closer to becoming the 45th president of the United States."

In a speech at his campaign headquarters, Cruz acknowledged the tight race for second place, but emphasized, "we are the only campaign that has beaten and can beat Donald Trump."

He also spoke about Bush's withdrawal from the race, saying, "Jeb Bush brought honor and dignity to this race."

Cruz offered a moment of silence for Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, whose funeral he attended earlier Saturday and then said this election will be a referendum on the Supreme Court.

"His passing underscores the enormous stakes of this election. Justice Scalia's replacement will not be decided by the Washington power-brokers. It will be decided by we the people."

Meanwhile, Trump was the overwhelming favorite among voters who said they're angry with the federal government. And according to exit polls, 53 percent said they felt betrayed by the GOP.

And religious voters turned out in record numbers where evangelical or Christian voters made up 74 percent of the electorate in the state.

According to exit polls 31 percent of evangelicals voted for Trump, 27 percent chose Ted Cruz, and 22 percent went with Marco Rubio.

Ohio Governor John Kasich had 7.6 percent of the vote, while Dr. Ben Carson captured 7.2 percent.

Political pundits question where the votes of the bottom three candidates will go if and when they drop out of the race. 

"As people drop out, I'm gonna get a lot of those votes, also," said Trump

Heading into the Nevada caucus, Trump is also predicting he will do very well there saying, "I'm leading in every poll with the Hispanics. They love me, I love them."

"Folks, let's go, let's have a big win in Nevada...Let's put this thing away," he tells hundreds of screaming supporters at a victory party in a Spartanburg. "And let's make America great again."