Ted Cruz is the only Republican to win the majority of a state in 2016 — and now he's done it twice

(Image credit: George Frey/Getty Images)

Donald Trump won more delegates than his Republican rivals in Tuesday's elections, thanks to his big victory in winner-take-all Arizona. But Ted Cruz crushed Trump in the GOP's Utah caucus, and in doing so he accomplished something Trump has so far failed to achieve: He won more than 50 percent of the vote. Cruz's 69 percent in Utah means he will get the state's 40 delegates outright, but it also gives him bragging rights of a sort: Trump may be beating Cruz in delegates, but he still hasn't topped 50 percent in any state.

What's more, Cruz has won a majority of a state twice now, after his blowout 66 percent victory in the Wyoming caucuses. (Marco Rubio, before he dropped out, topped that with 71 percent in Puerto Rico, which, of course, isn't a state, though it has almost as many delegates as Wyoming.) This feat won't win Cruz the nomination, but he might be able to use it as a talking point if Trump doesn't secure an outright majority of delegates before the Republican convention.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.