Voters in six states cast ballots in presidential primary contests Tuesday, but many were clearly looking ahead to the general election.
Voters in Democratic and Republican primaries told The Associated Press they have long been weighing and comparing candidates of both parties with an eye toward who would make the best general election candidate in November.
Hillary Clinton reached the 2,383 delegates needed to become the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee on the eve of Tuesday's voting, according to an AP tally. Her total is comprised of pledged delegates won in primaries and caucuses, as well as superdelegates — the party officials and officeholders who can back a candidate of their choosing.
On the Republican side, Donald Trump has had the nomination locked up for weeks.
Tuesday's elections in New Jersey, California, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota and South Dakota featured a contest between Clinton, the former secretary of state, and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, who is urging superdelegates to drop their support for Clinton, arguing he is a stronger candidate to take on Trump.
Here are some voters' thoughts:
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In San Diego, 82-year-old Harry Backer strolled past cyclists, skateboarders and kayakers on the way to vote for Hillary Clinton. The retired teacher, who also worked in construction, said America needs a level-headed, grounded woman with world experience.
"I'm left of Bernie Sanders, but I know that she's the candidate that can possibly get something done," Backer said.
He also wanted to be part of history in making Clinton the first woman to top the ticket of a major U.S. political party.
"This is the last white man's vote, and Trump is obviously an outstanding representative of that," he said. "He's brought out the fear that people of color are going to take over."
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In Albuquerque, New Mexico, Lucy Demir voted for Bernie Sanders.
"I like him because he's really honest," said Demir, 37. "I think he's really direct and I appreciate how he really is trying to stay on his side of the street. I actually think some of his ideals are kind of like utopic and he's probably not going to achieve them, but I like his character. I think he's showed that you don't have to be part of the establishment and you can still rise up."
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In Closter, New Jersey, an upscale suburb across the Hudson River from Manhattan, Izabela Biel voted for Donald Trump, saying his success as a businessman symbolizes the American dream for her. Biel came to the U.S. from Poland about 25 years ago, and she offered that even though he isn't the perfect candidate, she prefers him to the Democratic candidates who "want to make everybody equal."
"I grew up in communism," said Biel, 46. "I've lived it, and I absolutely know that it's proven that it doesn't work. You can't make everybody equal; that just doesn't exist in the real world."
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Bob Burhenn, 82, a retired Sioux Falls, South Dakota, businessman, said he voted for Hillary Clinton because it's time to put a woman in the nation's highest office.
"Men have been in charge long enough," Burhenn said. "And they're smarter than us, anyway."
Burhenn said he was once a Republican but changed party affiliations within the last 15 years. He said he was a big supporter of Bill Clinton's presidency.
"I thought that Bill did a hell of a job," Burhenn said. "I think he's going to help her, and they'll just be good."
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Sean Pollman, a small businessman who is registered as an independent in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, voted in the Democratic primary for Bernie Sanders.
"It's not Clinton. That's the main thing," said Pollman, 32. "Her stance on everything is always so wishy-washy. It's very obvious that corporate media is behind her. And if you look past the corporate media, she's always changing her mind."
Pollman said Sanders has a better chance at beating Donald Trump than Clinton does.
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In Helena, Montana, decorative painter Carmela Linguista had no hesitation about whom she was voting for: "Hillary, Hillary, Hillary.
"Hillary has pretty much devoted her life to the needs of women and children," Linguista said. "I think her forte is on the world stage."
She also pulled few punches about Donald Trump.
"The man is insane. He's a danger," she said. "He's not presidential material."
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Glenda Winslow, a 59-year-old special education teacher, has voted in every presidential race since she was 18, but she had never been as disappointed in her options as she was Tuesday in Sonoma, California.
"I'm not happy with anybody," said Winslow, who ultimately voted for Ben Carson despite knowing he would lose.
She said she couldn't bring herself to vote for Trump or Clinton. "I don't think they have good morals, the way they do things," she said.
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In Kearney, New Jersey, a blue-collar community near Newark, Antonio Cunha voted for Bernie Sanders, saying the senator from Vermont focuses on issues that are important to regular people.
"I like the idea of helping people afford college, whether it's totally free or not," said Cunha, 32, who works for a civil engineering firm. "Back in the day everybody got around with a high school education, but now I can see how much more people make in their careers if they have college degrees. And everybody's saddled with that debt, so that would be a big help."
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In a polling station in a converted classroom at an elementary school in Sonoma, California, Hillary Clinton drew support from Stephanie Caselli, a nurse for newborns and new mothers at a local hospital.
"I think she has the experience in foreign policy and other things to be president," Caselli said.
Bernie Sanders had Caselli's admiration at first, but he lost it by staying in the race even after Clinton moved well ahead.
"I think he's hurting the party by hanging on," Caselli said. "He should think of the country before he thinks of himself."
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In South Dakota, Sara Smith, a 36-year-old stay-at-home mother of two, voted for John Kasich in the Republican primary. Smith, who recently moved to Sioux Falls from Illinois, said her ballot served more as a vote against Donald Trump.
"I really don't care what his political stances are," Smith said of Trump. "I just don't like how he talks to people. He's rude and arrogant."
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In Montana, Bernie Sanders supporter Sonya Goes Ahead held out hope that he could still get the delegates needed before the primary.
"The other candidates are not very truthful. They are in it for money," said Goes Ahead, who grew up on Montana's Crow Reservation and is now studying education at Montana State University in Billings.
Sanders was the first presidential candidate to campaign in Montana, in early May, when he also met privately with American Indian leaders from the state's reservations
"He wants to help communities, help bring jobs to the reservation," the 24-year-old said. "There's not many jobs in my home — just the schools."
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Associated Press writers Wayne Parry in Atlantic City, New Jersey; David Porter in Closter, New Jersey; Bruce Shipkowski in Toms River, New Jersey; Ellen Knickmeyer in Sonoma, California; Mary Hudetz and Russell Contreras in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Julie Watson in San Diego, and Dirk Lammers in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, contributed to this story.
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