Kasich’s decision to suspend his efforts came after he improbably became the last challenger to Donald Trump, who emerged as the presumptive GOP nominee Tuesday night when Ted Cruz dropped out.
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At least one top state Republican is making some noise about backing Trump, saying it’s time to put aside misgivings about the bombastic billionaire businessman.
Trump vowed to unite the splintered GOP, even as he was bitingly dismissive of members who have been critical of his campaign.
Cruz said he “left it all on the field of IN”. “Honestly, there are some people I really don’t want”. He added Clinton’s slogan: “I’m with her”.
After Trump all but locked up the GOP nomination following Indiana’s primary, political observers unanimously agreed Kasich had little to gain by staying in the race.
His lone remaining rival John Kasich was expected to throw in the towel later Wednesday, bringing the curtain down on one of the most contentious, chaotic and vicious nomination battles in generations, one in which Trump pummelled no fewer than 16 rivals into submission.
“You win a primary, you lose the general, what’s the point?”
“I think we’ll beat Hillary Clinton”.
The combined might of the Republican Party’s best and brightest-16 of them at the outset-proved, in the end, helpless against Trump’s unorthodox, muscular appeal to the party’s voting base. Operatives have floated former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Nebraska Sen. “The answer is simple: No”, tweeted Nebraska senator Ben Sasse.
There was notable silence from major Republican leaders Wednesday. The party’s presidential nominee in 2012, Mitt Romney, will not attend the Republican National Convention in July, an aide said.
Some conservative critics like former candidate and Louisiana ex-governor Bobby Jindal, who once branded Trump “dangerous” and ignorant, are biting the bullet and shuffling into line behind Trump. He joined Great America as a senior strategist and said on super PAC conference call on Wednesday that Mr Trump needs all the help he can get with finances.
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Clinton has yet to shake Vermont Sen. Still others said they might vote in the November 8 general election for Hillary Clinton, the likely Democratic nominee.
