Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonWhat Senate Republicans have said about election-year Supreme Court vacancies Bipartisan praise pours in after Ginsburg's death Trump carries on with rally, unaware of Ginsburg's death MORE is projected to win the Illinois primary, holding off surging rival Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersKenosha will be a good bellwether in 2020 Biden's fiscal program: What is the likely market impact? McConnell accuses Democrats of sowing division by 'downplaying progress' on election security MORE.

Fox News and CNN called the race at about 12:20 a.m. EDT, hours after polls closed.

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With 96 percent of precincts reporting, Clinton had 50.6 percent to Sanders's 48.6 percent.

Clinton had held huge leads over Sanders in earlier polls of the state. But the Vermont senator narrowed that gap following a win in Michigan's primary last week, making Illinois a toss-up.

Sanders even led the race in one poll released late last week.

The former secretary of State, who grew up in a Chicago suburb, will likely claim the majority of the state’s 156 pledged delegates.