(CNN) -- Sen. John McCain cemented his front-runner status Tuesday, piling up big wins coast-to-coast, according to CNN projections. Democratic voters remain evenly split over which of their candidates they would rather see get the nomination. Sen. Barack Obama won more states Tuesday, but Sen. Hillary Clinton won states with higher delegate counts. McCain capped the night by taking California and its 170 delegates. After having been nearly written off last summer, the Arizona senator finally felt comfortable enough to call himself the front-runner. "Tonight I think we must get used to the idea that we are the Republican Party front-runner for the nomination of president of the United States. And I don't really mind it one bit," he said as results came in Tuesday. Watch McCain claim front-runner status »
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McCain solidifies front-runner status
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Clinton takes delegate-rich states
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Huckabee, Romney vow to keep fighting
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Obama winning more states, but Clinton winning states with more delegates
Republican Party
While most @placeholder contests are winner-take-all, most Democratic contests are awarded proportionally based on the number of congressional districts won.
Democratic
While most Republican contests are winner-take-all, most @placeholder contests are awarded proportionally based on the number of congressional districts won.
Democratic
Clinton took the larger share of California's 370 @placeholder delegates.
John McCain
McCain
McCain
McCain
@placeholder has gathered 514 delegates so far in his presidential campaign, including Tuesday night's projections.
United States
"Our time has come, our movement is real and change is coming to @placeholder," Obama said Tuesday.
Romney
Of those who voted for Huckabee or @placeholder, about 80 percent identified themselves as conservative, according to the polls.
John McCain
McCain
McCain
McCain
Only 49 percent of @placeholder's voters said they were conservative, a sign that the Arizona senator's efforts during the past week to placate conservative voters have not paid off.
Clinton
Clinton
On the Democratic side,  those who made up their mind in the past three days appear to be torn between Obama and @placeholder.
Barack Obama
Obama
According to the exit polls, Obama and Clinton are essentially splitting those voters, with 47 percent going for @placeholder and 46 percent for Clinton.
Republican Party
On the @placeholder side, front-runners McCain and Romney have engaged in bitter exchanges over their conservative records in recent weeks.
John McCain
McCain
McCain
McCain
On the Republican side, front-runners @placeholder and Romney have engaged in bitter exchanges over their conservative records in recent weeks.
Romney
On the Republican side, front-runners McCain and @placeholder have engaged in bitter exchanges over their conservative records in recent weeks.