WASHINGTON — The day after high-stakes contests in five states, the math and momentum point to a Donald Trump Republican presidential nomination as GOP officials grapple with whether to embrace the billionaire businessman or rally behind a longshot alternative.

It wasn’t a question for Democrat Hillary Clinton, who took aim at Trump on Tuesday night after strengthening her position against rival Bernie Sanders with another batch of primary victories of her own.

“Our commander-in-chief has to be able to defend our country, not embarrass it,” Clinton said in a speech that largely ignored Sanders. “We can’t lose what made America great in the first place.”

Clinton triumphed in the Florida, Illinois, Ohio and North Carolina presidential primaries, putting her in a commanding position to become the first woman in U.S. history to win a major-party nomination. Trump strengthened his hand in the Republican race with wins in Florida, North Carolina, and Illinois but fell in Ohio to that state’s governor, John Kasich. Votes were also being counted in Missouri, though races in both parties there were too close to call.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio ended his once-promising campaign after a devastating home-state loss that narrowed the field to just three candidates: Trump, Kasich and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.

After a night of wins, Clinton looks ahead

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Sweeping to victory in four key primary contests, Hillary Clinton has solidified her hold on the Democratic nomination, allowing her to begin the work of unifying her party against GOP front-runner Donald Trump.

The process won’t be pretty: Rival Bernie Sanders has tapped into a deep vein of anti-Washington sentiment in the Democratic Party, turning what was once expected to be an easy race for Clinton into a far tougher competition. He’s vowed to continue all the way to the national convention in July.

But Tuesday night’s victories allow Clinton to claim wins in key general election battlegrounds across the country — North Carolina, Florida and Ohio — and demonstrate her appeal to Rust Belt voters who will play a pivotal role in November.

A decisive win in Florida, Tuesday’s biggest delegate prize, left her on track to expand an already-commanding lead. Clinton now has at least 1,561 delegates, nearly two-thirds of the total needed to win the Democratic nomination. Sanders trails far behind with at least 800.

Ever so carefully, Clinton is trying to move some of her focus off the primary race. Over the past few days, she has begun peppering her standard stump speech with subtle calls for party unity and more direct attacks on Trump’s rhetoric, experience and plans.

Trump: Is he the quintessential Fla Man?

TAMPA, Fla. — Donald Trump drew thousands to his rallies around the Sunshine State, basking in their adoration, his face glowing like a Florida orange as he anticipated victory.

“Florida loves Trump, and I love Florida, so I think I’m going to win Florida,” he repeated.

Trump did win Florida on Tuesday, claiming victory with the bravado of someone who survived a particularly hellish South Florida commute.

The only actual Floridian in the race — Marco Rubio, a Cuban-American born in South Florida who earned all his degrees from Florida universities — failed to make his case, and Trump had already squashed the hopes of the GOP’s other Florida candidates like so many palmetto bugs.

Former Gov. Jeb Bush, who was supposed to have this thing locked up before the Southern primaries, flamed out shortly after he finally tried to find Trump’s jugular by labeling him “the chaos candidate.” Ben Carson, who lives in a West Palm Beach mansion, finally quit, too, and endorsed Trump.