After the Wisconsin primary, Ted Cruz claims that his win there is a “turning point” in the campaign. But, of course, Donald Trump disagrees. And both candidates continue to want John Kasich out of the race.
The outcome wasn’t a surprise. Of ten polls taken during March, Cruz was predicted to win by as much as ten points in all but one of the ten polls. Regardless, Cruz calls it a “turning point” in the campaign, according to Hot Air.
Cruz is quoted as saying–
“The national political terrain began to change two weeks ago. In the state of Utah, we won 69% of the vote, a landslide election [applause] winning every single delegate in the state. Then just three days ago in Colorado two congressional districts voted. Once again, they elected six delegates and of those six delegates we won all six…And now tonight here in Wisconsin, a state that just three weeks ago the media had written off. Three weeks ago the media said Wisconsin was a perfect state for Donald Trump. But the hardworking men and women of Wisconsin stood and campaigned tirelessly to make sure that tonight was a victory for every American. . .
“In the last two weeks, and in the coming days when Colorado and Wyoming finish voting, we are likely to have gained over 100 delegates on Donald Trump. And as a result of tonight, as a result of the people of Wisconsin defying the media, defying the pundits, I am more and more convinced that our campaign is going to earn the 1237 delegates needed to win the Republican nomination.”
Donald Trump doubts that Cruz can win the 1,237 delegates needed for the nomination. In fact, he says the GOP establishment is only supporting Cruz because they know he can’t win on the first ballot—and that will allow them to nominate a candidate other than Trump or Cruz.
Mr Trump’s campaign put out a statement saying that he [Cruz] was a “Trojan horse” who was succumbing to the whims of the Republican party.
“Ted Cruz is worse than a puppet,” the statement said. “He is a Trojan horse, being used by the party bosses attempting to steal the nomination from Mr Trump.”
“Lyin’ Ted” he said, “had the governor of Wisconsin, many conservative talk radio show hosts, and the entire party apparatus behind him,” [Trump’s campaign spokesperson said]
Republican establishment figures viewed the state – the birthplace of the Republican party – as a crucial firewall against the celebrity billionaire’s march to the nomination.
This is, for example, the home state of Paul Ryan, the speaker of the House of Representatives who has been named as a potential presidential challenger to Mr. Trump. Mr Ryan and his party allies did everything they could, lobbying hard for the stop Trump campaign.
Meanwhile, Cruz continues to call for Kasich to quit.
Ted Cruz’s chief spokesman says Ohio Gov. John Kasich is only staying in the race to make a play to be the vice presidential pick.
Cruz spokesman Jason Miller said Tuesday, after the Texas senator won Wisconsin, that “Kasich has to realize the only thing he’s doing is helping Donald Trump.”
Miller says, “This appears to clearly be auditioning for VP play.”
Trump also wants Kasich out because he thinks Kasich is actually hurting him, not Cruz.
“Kasich shouldn’t be allowed to run. Honestly, Kasich should not be allowed to run,” Trump told reporters Sunday while visiting a diner in Milwaukee, adding, “He hurts Trump much more than he hurts (Ted) Cruz. . .
“I said, ‘Why is a guy allowed to run? All he’s doing is he goes from place to place, and loses and he keeps running,'” Trump said. “He doesn’t have to run and take my votes. Because he’s taking my votes. He’s not taking Cruz’s votes.”
Kasich refuses to quit, saying if the point is that he can’t get the 1,237 delegates needed, the other two candidates should have to quit, too.
“Ted Cruz also has no possibility of accumulating enough delegates, and Donald Trump also will not receive a majority of delegates before the convention. Since he thinks it’s such a good idea, we look forward to Trump dropping out before the convention,” [Chris Schrimpf, a spokesman for Kasich’s campaign] said.
If Trump is right—that GOP Establishment support for Cruz is only to assure a brokered convention, maybe Kasich is wise to stay in. Here’s what the GOP chair had to say about it:
RNC Chair Priebus told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union” Sunday the party’s standard bearer will be one of the three men still running — and did not call for anyone to get out.
“Our candidate is someone who is running,” he said.
In other words, if the party apparatus is supporting Cruz just to defeat Trump, and they intend to pick someone else, that “someone else” can only be Kasich, according to Priebus’ statement.
