The Republican Party establishment’s efforts to stop real estate developer Donald Trump from winning the party’s presidential nomination appears to have an unintended consequence, if at all. All anti-Trump voters in the party are now gravitating towards Texas Senator Ted Cruz who won two of the four states that voted in the nomination race on Saturday. Mr. Cruz, who is equally reviled by the establishment, won 15 delegates more than Mr. Trump, pushing establishment favourite Florida Senator Marco Rubio to distant third positions in three states and a fourth position in the fourth state.
On the Democratic side, front-runner Hillary Clinton won only one of the three states that voted on Saturday but picked up more delegates than opponent Senator Bernie Sanders. Mr. Sanders said after the results that his campaign would continue all the way up to the party national convention.
Nomination is secured by winning a majority among the delegates at the respective national conventions of parties. After Saturday, with 27.89 percent of the total delegates allocated on the Democratic side, Ms. Clinton’s lead appeared unassailable. With 37.37 delegates allocated on the Republican side, the contest remains scattered but Mr. Trump’s advantage is apparent. Mr. Trump has 398 delegates, a long distance away from the 1297 halfway mark that he needs to cross to secure the nomination. Mr. Cruz has won 295 so far.
Stop this foolishness, Trump to party
Mr. Trump said the party establishment’s drive against him would lead to situation of Ms. Clinton winning the presidency. “As a party we should come together and stop this foolishness,” he said in response to ongoing discussions in the party to stall his nomination or stop him from winning the presidency in the event of him winning the nomination. Asked what could be the outcome if the Republican establishment fields a third candidate if he wins the nomination, Mr. Trump said. “Very simple. It guarantees -- 100% guarantees the election of the Democrat. …That's a total wipe out for conservatives and for Republicans. Start thinking about that. Start thinking about it.”
Both Mr. Trump and Mr. Cruz called upon Mr. Rubio to quit the race. “We’ll continue to amass delegates, but what needs to happen is the field needs to continue to narrow,” Mr. Cruz said. “As long as the field remains divided, it gives Donald an advantage.” "Personally, I'd call for him [Mr Rubio] to drop out of the race. I think it's time now,” Mr. Trump said. “I want Ted one-on-one.”
Mr. Trump gloated over the fact that Mr. Rubio, who had taken up the cudgels on behalf of the establishment, faced a drubbing in the polls. He did not spare Mr. Cruz either, and in a sign of things to come, raked up the issue of his Canadian birth. “Ted should win Maine.. because it's very close to Canada,” said Mr. Trump. Mr. Trump has already questioned whether a person born in Canada is eligible for the presidency and is likely to keep the controversy alive now.
While the distribution of delegates and projections suggest the possibility that neither Mr. Trump nor Mr. Cruz may be in a position to win a simple majority, both are opposed to a negotiated agreement on a nominee. “I am going to win enough delegates to win the nomination,” said Mr. Trump. Mr. Cruz said a brokered nomination process would be a negation of the popular will and would lead to the domination of the “Washington establishment.”
Clinton targets Trump
“We have allowed our politics to be hijacked by extreme ideologues. We all know the stakes keep getting higher, and the rhetoric we’re hearing from other side just keeps sinking lower," Ms. Clinton said after Saturday’s results, in a clear reference to Mr. Trump. “We’ve got the momentum, the energy and the excitement that will take us all the way to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia,” Mr. Sanders said. “I feel good about our campaign because the voters are sending a clear message. No matter what the pundits say, it is the voters who will decide this election,” he said.
