WASHINGTON (AP) — Despite Donald Trump’s string of victories on Tuesday, he has to do better in upcoming contests to claim the Republican nomination for president before the party’s national convention this summer, an AP delegate count shows.
Ted Cruz is emerging as the candidate who could stop him — with a little help from Marco Rubio.
A close look at the delegate math illustrates Trump’s problem. So far Trump has won only 46 percent of the delegates that have been awarded, even though he has won 10 of the first 15 contests. It takes an outright majority of delegates to win the nomination.
Going forward, Trump would have to win 52 percent of the remaining delegates to claim the nomination. That’s doable but difficult with three or more candidates claiming delegates.
On Tuesday, Cruz muted Trump’s delegate gains by winning delegate-rich Texas, which is Cruz’s home state.
The delegate math shows the importance of the March 15 primaries in Florida and Ohio, in which the statewide winner gets all the delegates. Winning those states could boost Trump to a commanding lead in the delegate count, but Florida is Rubio’s home state and Ohio is home for John Kasich, the state’s governor.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Does this explain why Kasich is refusing to suspend his campaign? Take as many Ohio delegates from Trump as possible to at least attempt to deny him an outright lock on the nomination?
Josh is right that in 2016, the idea that the party could take the nomination from someone who has a plurality of delegates and popular support is simply not going to happen. Trumps people would burn down the convention center and guarantee his third party run.
Trump is a megalomaniac and he will not be gracefully yielding to anyone. If he’s not the nominee he will make sure the eventual nominee goes down in flames. He could not possible care less about the Republican party or it’s grip on Congress, or even the Country.
Donald Trump has one focus and one focus only: Donald Trump.
Personally I would just as soon that Drumpf take out Cruz - Rafael is no great alternative,
I’m so sick of TPM’s all Trump all the time, I’ve started looking for unbiased news elsewhere, and lookie what I found:
DNC Chair Joins GOP Attack On Elizabeth Warren’s Agency
and
DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz Helpfully Illustrates Everything Bernie Sanders Hates About the Democratic Establishment
But if I were a Hillary supporter, I wouldn’t want to talk about Hillary’s good friend and former campaign chair either.
Didn’t Brian Beutler work at TPM a while back?
Donald Trump’s Nomination Will Have Real, Lasting Upsides
Yes, because everything DWS does is HRCs fault or somehow a reflection on her. I sincerely hope HRC is as all powerful and controlling as you believe her to be.