US election 2016: Hillary Clinton wins Puerto Rico primary

Image source, AFP/Getty

Image caption, Hillary Clinton is running neck and neck with her Democratic rival Bernie Sanders in California

Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton has won the primary in the US territory of Puerto Rico.

Projections give her more than 60% of the vote, compared with just over 35% for her rival, Bernie Sanders.

Mrs Clinton is now less than 30 delegates short of the 2,383 needed to win the nomination, according to an Associated Press count.

On Sunday Mrs Clinton and Mr Sanders both campaigned in California, ahead of Tuesday's primary.

Mrs Clinton and Mr Sanders are in a dead heat in California, but delegates in the state are awarded on a proportional basis.

Five other states also hold Democratic primaries on Tuesday, including New Jersey. In all, 694 delegates are up for grabs.

Even if Mrs Clinton loses in California, she will almost certainly secure her party's nomination and take on the presumptive Republican nominee, Donald Trump in November's general election.

Mr Sanders insists the Democratic national convention in July will be a "contested convention." He contends that "superdelegates" supporting Mrs Clinton could still change their minds.

The Vermont senator claims the party's nominating system is "rigged" against an outsider. Mrs Clinton has won an estimated 2.9m more votes than her rival during the months-long contest.

Although they take part in the primary process, residents of Puerto Rico and other US territories are not entitled to vote in the presidential election.