Texas Sen. Ted Cruz has ended his run for president after Donald Trump defeated him in the Indiana primary.
“It appears that path has been foreclosed,” Cruz said in Indianapolis. “Together, we left it all on the field of Indiana. We gave it everything we’ve got, but the voters chose another path.
—-
SPECIAL REPORT: Details of Donald Trump’s big win in Indiana
—-
Cruz said that “with a heavy heart but with boundless optimism for the long-term future of our nation, we are suspending our campaign.”
Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s chief strategist says the governor is staying in the race.
“Senator Ted Cruz should be proud of his strong and disciplined campaign,” Kasich tweeted out just as Cruz made his announcement.
According to the Associated Press, Cruz’s campaign placed its hopes on a data-driven effort to turn out conservative evangelical Christians who had opted out of recent presidential elections.
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus called Trump the “presumptive GOP nominee” Tuesday night.
On the Democratic side, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders defeated Hillary Clinton in Indiana giving a boost to his campaign.
* Democrats: Sanders is leading Clinton, 53-47 percent (93% of vote counted)
* Republicans: Donald Trump has 53 percent, Ted Cruz is at 37 percent, and John Kasich at 8 percent (93% of the vote counted)
—-
Special report from our Ohio Politics political team
On Twitter: Join the discussion on @Ohio_Politics
On Facebook: Like our Ohio Politics Facebook page and join the discussion and sound off on the issues.
Who do I agree with?Answer some questions and find out which candidate agrees with you
Kasich: Go in depth and learn more about Gov. Kasich, watch video, take our quiz
—-
Ohio Gov. John Kasich is looking to compete in upcoming contests in Oregon and New Mexico and his campaign did not compete hard in Indiana.
“Tonight’s results are not going to alter Gov. Kasich’s campaign plans. Our strategy has been and continues to be one that involves winning the nomination at an open convention,” Kasich chief strategist John Weaver said in a statement. “The comments from Trump, on the verge of winning in Indiana, heighten the differences between Governor Kasich and his positive, inclusive approach and the disrespectful ramblings from Donald Trump.”
Kasich is way behind Trump in delegates. Trump has 1,041 of the 1,237 needed. Kasich has 153. Cruz had 565.
What happened in Indiana
From the AP:
Trump’s outsider appeal helped fuel his Indiana victory. Six in 10 Indiana Republicans said they want the next president to be a political outsider, and those voters overwhelmingly supported Trump.
Trump also was supported by most GOP voters who say they’re angry about the way the federal government is working.
Trump won more than half of voters over 45 and nearly 6 in 10 of those without a college degree.
Half of self-identified Republicans and just over half of independents voted for Trump, as did 6 in 10 Democrats voting in the Republican primary, who made up about 5 percent of GOP primary voters.
Cruz came closer among younger and more educated voters.
Latest news from AP
9:40 p.m.
And then there were two. A strategist for Donald Trump’s remaining rival, John Kasich, says the Ohio governor will continue his fight for the Republican nomination until the end.
John Weaver said in a statement Tuesday that “as long as it remains possible. Gov. Kasich will fight for the higher path.”
GOP candidate Ted Cruz ended his bid for the nomination Tuesday following a crushing defeat in Indiana’s primary. Kasich was running a distant third in the race before Cruz suspended his campaign.
Weaver said “Cruz ran a strong campaign, stood for conservative principles, and exposed a lot about Donald Trump.”
___
9:35 p.m.
Donald Trump is telling supporters in New York that Hillary Clinton “will be a poor president.”
Trump, who struck a far more somber tone Tuesday than in his rallies, saluted Ted Cruz, his former Republican rival, who suspended his campaign earlier in the night, and shifted his attention instead to his likely opponent in the general election.
Trump said Cruz’s decision was “a brave thing to do” in the name of party unity.
He also saluted the Reince Priebus, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, who Trump joked had started the primary process “with 17 egos” ?— the number of GOP candidates —? and was now “down to one.”
___
9:25 p.m.
Donald Trump is shifting his focus to Hillary Clinton.
The Republican front-runner addressed supporters at Trump Tower in New York on Tuesday night after his chief Republican rival, Ted Cruz dropped out. The announcement came after Trump scored his seventh consecutive victory in Indiana.
He called Cruz “one hell of a competitor,” calling his decision to drop out of the race “brave.”
He said that while he wasn’t sure if Cruz likes him, he praised his former rival as a “smart” and “tough guy” who had an “amazing future” ahead of him.
Trump then quickly turned his attention to his likely Democratic opponent in the general election.
Trump says, “We’re going after Hillary Clinton.”
The New York billionaire criticized Clinton’s recent comments about the coal industry. He says she wants to close mines and he promised to help coal miners get back to work.
___
9:23 p.m.
Bernie Sanders is the winner of Indiana’s Democratic primary, scoring a late victory over front-runner Hillary Clinton.
But it’s a win that won’t change the reality of the Democratic race.
The Vermont senator is far behind the former secretary of state in the delegate count. He won’t win by a large enough margin Tuesday to keep Clinton from collecting at least some delegates.
Clinton entered the night with 91 percent of the delegates she needs to become the first woman nominated by a major party.
__
9:05 p.m.
The chairman of the Republican National Committee is calling for unity, saying that Donald Trump will be the “presumptive” Republican nominee for president.
Reince Priebus took to Twitter Tuesday after Ted Cruz ended his bid for the GOP nomination, saying that Donald Trump “will be presumptive GOP nominee, we need to unite and focus on defeating HillaryClinton.” He ended his message with the hashtag #NeverClinton.
Trump is due to speak at the Trump Tower in New York City later Tuesday.
___
8:55 p.m.
Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump’s campaign staff and supporters are exchanging hugs and handshakes as rival Ted Cruz formally announced his exit from the race.
Trump’s team gathered at his Trump Tower in New York City Tuesday where the Republican front-runner is scheduled to speak shortly.
Cheers broke out in the building’s grand lobby as a television broadcasting Cruz’s speech announced his departure from the race.
—-
8:20 p.m.
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is ending his presidential campaign, eliminating the biggest impediment to Donald Trump’s march to the Republican nomination.
Cruz’s campaign said he plans to drop out of the race Tuesday following his loss in Indiana’s Republican primary to Trump.
Cruz’s campaign placed its hopes on a data-driven effort to turn out conservative evangelical Christians who had opted out of recent presidential elections. Increasingly, he would modify his travel schedule to go where data showed there might be pockets of untapped supporters.
——
7:41 p.m.
Donald Trump is thanking voters in Indiana after his big win in the state’s Republican presidential primary.
Trump took to Twitter Tuesday, shortly after his big win which gives him a big boost toward reaching the 1,237 delegates needed to win the nomination.
“Thank you Indiana,” Trump wrote. “We have won in every category. You are very special people-I will never forget!”
Trump’s win dealt a big blow to rival Ted Cruz, who had poured time and resources into the state, which is home to a significant evangelical population.
———
7:40 p.m.
Bernie Sanders is steering clear of Indiana’s primary, opening his rally in Kentucky on Tuesday night by pointing to his progress in the Democratic presidential campaign.
Sanders isn’t making any predictions about the outcome of Tuesday’s primary in Indiana, saying instead that he has closed the big lead that Hillary Clinton had when he started his campaign a year ago.
Sanders says in Louisville he’s winning the vote of people age 45 and under. He says that shows that his campaign is fighting for the ideas that are important to the future of the country “and the future of the Democratic party.”
Sanders traveled the state and spent about $1.5 million in advertising in Indiana against Clinton. The former secretary of state did not air TV ads and did not campaign extensively in Indiana.
What’s next?
Nebraska has a winner take all primary on May 10. West Virginia also has Democratic and Republican contests that day.
Trump and Sanders are leading in the polls in West Virginia. On May 17, Kentucky has a Democratic primary and Oregon has primaries for both parties. Oregon is where Gov. Kasich is putting his efforts. However, the state only has 28 Republican delegates.
Washington State has a republican primary on May 24.
The big day is June 7 when California has 172 Republican delegates on the line and a whopping 546 for Democrats.
Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico and South Dakota also have primaries June 7. North Dakota has a Democratic caucus. The last votes will be the Democratic primary in Washington Dc June 14.
Trump is leading big in New Jersey, West Virginia and California polls. If those numbers hold, he should have the nomination on June 7.
Thank you for reading the Dayton Daily News and for supporting local journalism. Subscribers: log in for access to your daily ePaper and premium newsletters.
Thank you for supporting in-depth local journalism with your subscription to the Dayton Daily News. Get more news when you want it with email newsletters just for subscribers. Sign up here.