Sanders and Clinton in tight Nevada race in early results

Democratic presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton are locked in a tight race in Nevada, with early results showing Clinton with a slight edge over Sanders with 27 percent of precincts reporting.

Clinton led Sanders, 50.5 percent to 49.4 percent, with many caucus sites still compiling votes amid a heavy turnout.

Sanders was hoping a stronger-than-expected showing would prove his appeal to minority voters and puncture Clinton's argument that he is a one-note candidate whose support is limited to mostly white states.

After routing Clinton in New Hampshire and finishing a strong second in Iowa, states with nearly all-white populations, Nevada's Democratic caucuses gave Sanders his first chance to prove he can win over black and Hispanic voters and compete nationally as the race moves to states with more diverse populations.

Republicans in South Carolina also were voting on Saturday in the state-by-state contest to pick nominees for the Nov. 8 election, with opinion polls showing front-runner Donald Trump trying to solidify his spot at the top of the pack and rivals Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio fighting for a second-place finish.

Behind them, Republican candidates Jeb...