The conservative tea party firebrand who tried to cast himself as the only viable alternative to Trump ended his campaign after a stinging defeat in Indiana’s Republican primary.
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As Indiana polls are closing, Ted Cruz is likely bracing for a brutal loss to Donald Trump, while the Democratic fight between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders is expected to be close. Cruz blasted Trump as a “pathological liar, “utterly amoral” and a “narcissist” after his rival repeated a tabloid story that alleged that Cruz’s father had ties to President John F. Kennedy’s assassin Lee Harvey Oswald”.
About 7 in 10 Democrats say they would be excited or at least optimistic about either a Clinton or Sanders presidency, while only about half of Indiana GOP voters are excited or even optimistic about any of the remaining Republican candidates becoming president. Sanders intends to force a contested convention, fighting Mrs. Clinton for every vote, especially the votes of the superdelegates.
It’s primary day in IN, where voters take to the polls to choose between a narrowing field of presidential contenders.
Indeed, Trump’s first challenge will be uniting a Republican Party that has been roiled by his candidacy.
Cruz campaigned aggressively in IN, but could not overcome Trump.
Still, the late-in-the-game win by the Vermont senator creates an odd split-screen for the Democrats, with the Clinton campaign increasingly confident of her chances even as Sanders lays bare her weakness with a large slice of Democrats.
Mr Kasich’s campaign issued a statement on Tuesday night saying he will remain in the race unless a candidate locks up the nomination before the convention in July. First, with the Republican race all but decided, the news media will pay more attention to the Democratic race, which means more media attention for Sen.
Heading into Tuesday’s contest, Mrs. Clinton led Mr. Sanders 1,645 to 1,318 in the delegate race, according to an Associated Press tally.
Clinton is sitting on 1663 delegates.
Mr Trump’s win, meanwhile, was widely considered the death knell for Mr Cruz and Mr Kasich after their last-gasp alliance to thwart the front runner’s hopes failed to yield results. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks during a campaign rally Tuesday, May 3, 2016, in Louisville, Ky. Will a majority of Republican voters continue to say that the candidate who gets more votes should be the nominee regardless of whether they get a majority of delegates? If Cruz loses IN, which it looks like he will, he will have to find an argument for staying IN the race.
Material from the Associated Press was used in this report. Most delegate counts have him just shy of 1,000 pledged delegates.
Mr Kasich was not actively seeking delegates in IN after making an agreement with Mr Cruz in a bid to head off Mr Trump.
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Cheers broke out in the building’s grand lobby as a television broadcasting Cruz’s speech announced his departure from the race.
