Indiana Voters Cast Ballots In Presidential Primaries
CHICAGO (CBS) -- It's decision day for Indiana voters in the presidential primaries.
Polls opened Thursday morning in Indiana, which could play a decisive role in the race for the Republican nomination.
A total of 57 delegates are up for grabs in the Hoosier State, which has a winner-take-all primary.
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz has placed much of his hopes on Indiana voters helping him stop the momentum of frontrunner Donald Trump. However, the latest polls show Indiana looking more like the Cruz campaign's Waterloo than a resounding win, despite the fact Ohio Gov. John Kasich recently suspended his campaign in Indiana in hopes of making way for Cruz.
Turnout was expected to be very high, and poll workers were excited to be taking part in a race being watched all around the world.
"It's kind of really exciting. It's not very often that happens. So, to have it be in my lifetime that we get to be a deciding factor, I think is awesome," said Katie Banashak, of Merrillville. "They've been preparing us for it to be a huge turnout; really busy. It's going to be exciting."
On the Democratic side, the race appears to be much tighter. The most recent CBS News poll showed former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton leading U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders 49 percent to 44 percent.
Clinton has more than 90 percent of the delegates needed for her party's nomination, but Sanders spent Monday campaigning in southern Indiana, and was still talking as if he has a chance to be the Democratic nominee.
Indiana Republicans also will be voting on a U.S. Senate nominee, choosing between two congressmen -- U.S. Reps. Todd Young and Marlin Stutzman. Incumbent U.S. Sen. Dan Coats is retiring.
On the Democratic side of that race, Baron Hill is running unopposed.
