Senator Ted Cruz handily defeated Republican frontrunner Donald Trump late Tuesday in Utah's presidential caucuses, putting up a spirited challenge against the brash billionaire as they battle for their party's presidential nomination.

With a quarter of precincts reporting, NBC and CNN projected Cruz the winner with about 70 percent of the vote, with Ohio Governor John Kasich at 16 percent and Trump at 13 percent.

Trump easily won the state of Arizona earlier Tuesday.