Hillary Clinton has reasserted her dominance of the Democratic presidential race with wins in all five of yesterday’s primaries, settling her campaign’s lingering nerves after a shock defeat to Bernie Sanders in Michigan last week.

The former Secretary of State continued her clean sweep of the South, claiming the delegate-rich Florida by a margin of almost two to one, as well as North Carolina. But her most surprising win was the last of the evening, as she squeaked past Mr Sanders to secure victory in Missouri – by less than 0.5 per cent.

Mr Sanders’ shock win in Michigan on 8 March, for which he overcame a 20-point poll deficit, had suggested the race might swing his way in the rest of the industrial Rust Belt, where Ms Clinton’s historical support for free trade policies and her cosy relationship with Wall Street could have cost her many working class votes.

Clinton and Trump take the lead in key primary wins from 'Mega Tuesday'

But the frontrunner managed to hold firm across the Midwest, prevailing in Ohio and in another closely fought contest in Illinois. Both are major states in the Democrat race, with hauls of 159 and 182 delegates respectively. Ms Clinton, who was born and grew up in Illinois, lost there in a landslide to Barack Obama during the 2008 Democratic primaries. Her victory in the Prairie State yesterday was slim but nonetheless significant.

Super Tuesday - in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Super Tuesday - in pictures Super Tuesday - in pictures Democratic presidential candidate former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton greets supporters during her Super Tuesday evening gathering Stage One Ice Studios in Miami, Florida. Latest results have Hillary Clinton as the projected winner of six states: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia Getty Images Super Tuesday - in pictures Republican Presidential front runner Donald Trump speaks to the media at the Mar-A-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida. Trump held the press conference after the closing of Super Tuesday polls in a dozen states Getty Images Super Tuesday - in pictures Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz celebrates at a Super Tuesday watch party at the Redneck Country Club in Stafford, Texas. Cruz won the Texas and Florida primaries Getty Images Super Tuesday - in pictures Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders speaks to supporters after winning the Vermont primary on Super Tuesday in Essex Junction, Vermont 2016 Getty Images Super Tuesday - in pictures People cheer as Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks after winning the Vermont primary on Super Tuesday in Essex Junction, Vermont. Thirteen states and one territory are participating in today's Super Tuesday: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Wyoming and American Samoa Getty Images Super Tuesday - in pictures Republican candidate Dr. Ben Carson speaks to supporters at his campaign at his Super Tuesday election party at the Grand Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland. Despite trailing the other Republican candidates on the most significant night of primary voting, Dr. Carson vowed to continue his campaign and remain in the running Getty Images Super Tuesday - in pictures Republican presidential candidate Ohio John Kasich addresses a town hall-style meeting in the Hazel Hall Atrium at the George Mason University Law School on Super Tuesday in Fairfax, Virginia. Officials are expecting a record turnout of voters in Virginia, one of a dozen states holding presidential primaries or caucuses Getty Images Super Tuesday - in pictures Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio greets supporters during a rally at Tropical Park in Miami, Florida. Eyeing a must-win in March 15 primary in his home state of Florida, Rubio held his Super Tuesday night event in Miami Getty Images Super Tuesday - in pictures Precinct 5 Democratic Farm Labor Party voters register to take part in Super Tuesday caucusing for delegates at the Folwell Community Center Democratic caucus location in Minneapolis, Minnesota Reuters Super Tuesday - in pictures Voters crowd in to check with precinct captains at a Democratic caucus late Tuesday in Denver. Colorado is one of 12 states casting votes for party nominees on Super Tuesday, which offers candidates the chance to garner the biggest single-day delegate haul of the nomination contests AP Super Tuesday - in pictures A U.S. citizen living in Mexico (R) registers to cast his vote from abroad, for a Democratic candidate during Super Tuesday elections in Mexico City, Mexico Reuters Super Tuesday - in pictures Republican U.S. presidential candidate Senator Marco Rubio holds a cutout of his head in front of his face as he greets supporters after speaking about the Super Tuesday primary and caucus voting results at a campaign rally in Miami, Florida Reuters Super Tuesday - in pictures Supporters cheer as Republican 2016 US presidential candidate Florida Senator Marco Rubio addresses the crowd during a Super Tuesday primary election night rally at Tropical Park in Miami, Florida EPA Super Tuesday - in pictures Democratic presidential candidate former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks during her Super Tuesday evening gathering Stage One Ice Studios in Miami, Florida Getty Images Super Tuesday - in pictures Supporters of Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who came to her rally in costume as Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump (L) and as Mrs. Clinton (R), attend her Super Tuesday night party in Miami, Florida Reuters

Ms Clinton delivered her victory speech to supporters at the Palm Beach County Convention Centre in Florida, less than four miles from where her likely general election rival was toasting his own triumph at his Mar-a-Lago Club. And it was Donald Trump, not Mr Sanders, who was the focus of her rhetoric. “Our commander in chief has to be able to defend our country, not embarrass it. Engage our allies, not alienate them. Defeat our adversaries, not embolden them,” she said.

“When we hear a candidate for president call for rounding up 12 million immigrants, banning all Muslims from entering United States, when he embraces torture, that doesn't make him strong, it makes him wrong,” she went on. “We should be breaking down barriers, not building walls. We’re not going to succeed by dividing this country between us and them. You know, to be great, we can't be small.”

With Ms Clinton’s delegate lead growing to around 300, Mr Sanders looks more and more like the protest candidate he was when he first entered the race last April. But if his objective then was to drag the Democratic conversation to the left, he has vastly overachieved. Ms Clinton will now likely fight the general election against Mr Trump on a significantly more progressive platform than she would have done, had the Democratic primary been the coronation many expected.