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Clinton Looks to Inch Closer to Clinching in Two Weekend Contests

Weekend Contests Will Get Clinton Closer to Clinching

Hillary Clinton took another — tiny — step toward securing the Democratic nomination Saturday night by winning the Virgin Islands caucus, NBC News projects.

With only seven delegates up for grabs between Clinton and rival Sen. Bernie Sanders, the progress was modest. But the contest Saturday and another Sunday in Puerto Rico will push Clinton closer to clinching the Democratic nomination.

Sixty delegates were at stake Sunday as Puerto Rico Democrats held their primary. In both island territories, delegates will be awarded proportionally based on the results.

The former secretary of state is less than 60 delegates shyof the 2,383 majority — including superdelegates — she needs to be declared the presumptive Democratic nominee, according to an NBC News count.

After Saturday, Clinton has 2,326 delegates — 1,774 pledged and 552 superdelegates, according to an NBC News Decision Desk count. Sanders has 1,548, including 46 supers and 1,502 pledged.

Six last states — including delegate-rich New Jersey and California — hold their primary contests Tuesday.

Despite lagging in the delegate count, Sanders has pledged to fight on, perhaps even to the Democratic National Convention. And recent polls show the California race between Sanders and Clinton within the margin of error, offers Sanders the chance to notch a big win and bolster his case for remaining in the race into the summer.

Clinton for her part stayed focused not on her Democratic rival but rather the presumptive Republican nominee, Donald Trump. At several stops on the campaign trail in Southern California, Clinton continued to paint Trump as unqualified for the presidency and a person "who wants to divide us."

Before a raucous crowd of more than 1,400 in Fresno who braved searing temperatures, the Democratic front-runner said "Donald Trump is not qualified or temperamentally fit to be president of the United States."