(CN) - After three decades as a bold-faced name in politics, Hillary Rodham Clinton on Tuesday became the first woman in American history to become the presumptive presidential nominee of a major political party.
Clinton's victory against Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont in the race for the Democratic nomination for president was sealed shortly before 9 p.m. as the first results began to come in from New Jersey, one of six states holding contests on the final "Super Tuesday" on the primary and caucus season.
Speaking before a jubilant crowd at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Clinton celebrated her long-sought "milestone" while soaking up cheers and sustained applause. "The first time in our nation's history that a woman will be a major party's nominee.
"Barriers can come down. Justice and equality can win," she said. "This campaign is about making sure there are no ceilings, no limits on any of us. This is our moment to come together."
Clinton still needed significant victories in the west to claim the nomination by popular affirmation, but her victory in New Jersey ended any miniscule hope Sanders had of pulling off an 11th hour upset at the polls of the presumptive nominee.
The biggest blow to Sanders came hours later, when he lost California to Clinton by an apparent 20 point margin. Sanders hoped a strong showing would raise doubts about Clinton's achievement and inspire superdelegates to support him at the party's nominating convention in Philadelphia.
The senator did win moral victories in Montana and North Dakota, and on that basis vowed to fight on.
"Next Tuesday we continue the fight in the last primary in Washington D.C.," he told a crowd of supporters in Santa Monica.
"We are going to fight on, we are going to fight hard," he said.
As the California results came in, the White House announced President Barack Obama will be meeting with Sanders Thursday at the Senator's request.
"The President congratulated both candidates for running inspiring campaigns that have energized Democrats, brought a new generation of Americans into the political process, and shined a spotlight on important policy ideas aimed at making sure our economy and our politics work for everybody, not just those with wealth and power," the White House said in a written statement.
"The President congratulated Secretary Clinton for securing the delegates necessary to clinch the Democratic Nomination for President," the statement continued. "Her historic campaign inspired millions and is an extenson of her lifelong fight for middle-class families and children," it added.
The latest Quinnipiac University poll of public sentiment looking forward to the general election show Clinton narrowly beating presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in November, but the same poll shows Sanders defeating Trump by a wide margin.
An even more granular Quinnipiac poll, focusing only on Connecticut, shows Clinton leading Trump by seven points, but Sanders leading the Billionaire real estate developer and reality TV star by a full 19 points.
A total 694 pledged delegates were at stake Tuesday night, the most since March 15. The biggest prize is California, where 475 delegates are at stake, followed by New Jersey, which offered 126 pledged delegates to the candidates.