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| Trump, Cruz and Rubio square off for Super Tuesday elections – campaign live | Trump, Cruz and Rubio square off for Super Tuesday elections – campaign live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 3.39pm GMT | |
| 15:39 | |
| Florida senator Marco Rubio is next on Fox News Sunday. Chris Wallace’s first question is about Trump. Rubio looks tired. | |
| “I really believed that voters would see through this con job that he’s trying to do, obviously that’s not happened,” Rubio says. | |
| “I believe that a first rate con artist is on the verge of taking over the party of Reagan and Lincoln.” He says that Trump isn’t a conservative, but that he continues to trick Americans into liking him with his wild boasts of winning all people: “This is part of the clown act.” | |
| There are “all these struggling Americans who’re really hurting economically, and now he’s preying on them,” Rubio says. “We cannot allow this guy to become the Republican nominee, the Democrats are going to tear him to shreds.” | |
| Trump “has lived a pampered life,” the senator continues. “He portrays himself as this great businessman,” but if he had invested what he inherited, Rubio says “he’d have more money than Warren Buffet does. | |
| “Instead he’s done all these risky ventures … Donald Trump has a history of business failures, four businesses in bankruptcy.” | |
| “He’s going to make America broke, like he did those four companies. He’s going to make it a casino.” Rubio laughs at that, but it’s not a happy laugh. | |
| 3.33pm GMT | |
| 15:33 | |
| Wallace hammers Cruz on the ethics of his campaign: its calls to Iowan falsely telling them Ben Carson had quit, a communications director who spread a misleading video about Marco Rubio, fabricated “voter violation” forms posted on voters doors. | |
| Cruz congratulates Wallace for having read Trump’s plan of attack, aka the “oppo research”. | |
| This riles Wallace up – he tells Cruz to wait a minute and answer the question about whether his campaign has as much integrity as he claims it does. He personally apologized to Carson for the Iowa spat, and that Cruz fired the communications director over the Rubio video. | |
| “Chris, please don’t interrupt me,” Cruz interrupts Wallace at least four times in a soft voice. | |
| Wallace: “Please don’t accuse me of doing something I didn’t do! You apologized for one, and you fired your communications director.” | |
| “Our campaign from the beginning has been the highest level of integrity,” Cruz says, adding that when his team is insulted “we don’t respond in kind.” | |
| Not two minutes ago Cruz impugned Wallace’s ethics with a suggestion that he was doing Trump’s attack work for him. | |
| “The facts matter, I understand that there are folks that don’t want to focus on the facts,” Cruz concludes, not incorrectly. | |
| Updated | |
| at 3.34pm GMT | |
| 3.29pm GMT | |
| 15:29 | |
| Edward Helmore | |
| Ted Cruz is doing “the full Ginsburg” today – in which someone does all five main morning shows, the process named for Monica Lewinsky’s lawyer, who did it in 1998. Ed watched him appear on ABC’s This Week: | |
| Continuing his strafing of Donald Trump, Ted Cruz returned to the subject of the developer’s unreleased tax returns. Cruz released nine years’ worth of his returns on Saturday, after Marco Rubio released some details of his own. | |
| “A lot media outlets have reported that he doesn’t make nearly as much money as he claims,” he said. “Maybe it’s his dealings with the Mafia? | |
| “ABC has reported on dealings with S&A Concrete that, as ABC news has reported, was owned by two big crime families in New York. Maybe that’s what his tax returns show? We dont know. The point is, Republican primary voters deserve to know if there’s a scandal there, or as Mitt Romney puts it, ‘a bombshell.’ | |
| 3.27pm GMT | |
| 15:27 | |
| Next Wallace asks about John Roberts, now the chief justice of the supreme court – and about Ted Cruz’s flip-flop on the judge. Cruz wrote thousands of words in support of Roberts back during his confirmation hearings, and now says the judge has betrayed | |
| “I supported the Republican president in his nomination,” Cruz says. “That was a mistake, in hindsight that was a mistake.” | |
| He would’ve nominated his former boss, he says. “Too many Republican presidents aren’t willing to spend the capital to nominate and confirm a proven conservative.” | |
| Then Cruz calls Donald Trump’s sister a “radical” and pro-abortion judge; Maryanne Trump Barry is a senior federal judge on the third circuit court of appeals. In 2000 she wrote a decision that struck down a late-term abortion law for being “unconstitutionally and incurably vague”. | |
| 3.22pm GMT | |
| 15:22 | |
| Ted Cruz is next up on the Fox program. According to the latest polls you’re only leading in Arkansas and Texas, Chris Wallace tells him. | |
| Cruz plays diplomat at first, saying the first four states “narrowed” the field of presidential candidates. Super Tuesday will do that again he says. He repeats his line about 65% of Republicans don’t want Donald Trump, and asks those people to stand with him – even though many people in his own party recoil from Cruz. | |
| Wallace hits Cruz with the results and exit polls out of South Carolina, a state Cruz had hoped to do well in. South Carolinians wanted someone from “outside the establishment” – and they went with Trump. Social conservatives also went with Trump. Wallace asks: Isn’t Trump beating you at your own game? | |
| “A primary is an extended conversation,” Cruz says. “And Donald Trump has told many, many times in his own words that he was part of the establishment” seven months ago. “He is a Washington dealmaker, and it’s Washington deals that have bankrupted this country.” | |
| 3.16pm GMT | |
| 15:16 | |
| What about your suggestion to curb press freedoms, Wallace asks Trump. | |
| Trump gets upset about the New York Times. “You can say anything you want, and that’s not fair.” | |
| He bulldozes past first amendment rights and Wallace’s observation that the supreme court has ruled emphatically against expanded libel laws. You’d have to change the constitution itself to clamp down on press freedoms, Wallace says. | |
| Trump goes past it, saying “I would absolutely work to open up libel laws” to become more like Britain’s. | |
| His ideal scenario: “If you write something that’s wrong, at least knowingly wrong, a person like me can write lawsuits and collect damages.” | |
| Related: Donald Trump pledges to curb press freedom through libel laws | |
| 3.13pm GMT | |
| 15:13 | |
| The tax returns rear their mathematical heads. Trump | |
| “First of all let me just tell you something. As you know I have filed unbelievable, voluminous documents as to my net worth and the company I have built.” | |
| “People in your profession” were very impressed by those forms, Trump says. “You can’t learn anything from tax returns about net worth or anything like that. The tax returns are being audited. I have been audited for many, many years.” | |
| Wallace keeps asking, can you tell us your gross income? Trump won’t do it. He says go look at the FEC forms. | |
| 3.10pm GMT | |
| 15:10 | |
| Wallace asks Trump about Trump University, a “school” repeatedly accused of defrauding would-be students. Trump says it’s crazy, nobody paid a “huge” amount of money (some people paid upwards of $35,000). | |
| “Almost everybody signed a document and they rated the school, they rated the courses,” Trump says. He’s dismissive of the lawsuit against the organization. | |
| “I could’ve settled this case a long time ago, I didn’t because I’m gonna win this case in court,” he says. “I’m not a settler. I don’t believe in settling cases, I believe in winning cases.” | |
| 3.07pm GMT | |
| 15:07 | |
| On to Fox News Sunday. Donald Trump is first up. Host Chris Wallace asks about Marco Rubio’s accusation that Trump is a “con man”. | |
| Trump doesn’t really care. “He couldn’t get elected dog catcher if he goes back to Florida.” | |
| The billionaire says Rubio “fraud and deceived Florida.” He says: “I think he’s a con man.” | |
| “I don’t think he actually even thinks he’s hot stuff,” Trump goes on. “I call him little Marco, that’s what he is, he’s little Marco.” | |
| Wallace asks about Trump’s history of illegally hiring Polish workers, as well as the way his resorts hire far more temporary, foreign workers than Americans. | |
| “I didn’t hire them,” Trump says. “I hired a contractor for demolition, he had Polish workers in his force, among others by the way.” | |
| How come people sleep on these work sites, Wallace asks. “You’re not supposed to do it but contractors all over the city and many other cities they sleep on site,” Trump says. “That’s a fairly common practice.” | |
| “This little Marco, 35 years ago I built a building, and 35 years ago that’s what he can come up with? That’s pretty sad.” | |
| Updated | |
| at 3.10pm GMT | |
| 2.38pm GMT | 2.38pm GMT |
| 14:38 | 14:38 |
| Tapper keeps telling the candidates about how “the hashtag, the hashtag ‘never Trump’ exploded on Twitter over the weekend”. This matters to him. | Tapper keeps telling the candidates about how “the hashtag, the hashtag ‘never Trump’ exploded on Twitter over the weekend”. This matters to him. |
| Then he asks Kasich whether he would support a nominated Trump. “If we’re down to about five people,” the governor says. “I will show respect to the person that emerges from the arena.” | Then he asks Kasich whether he would support a nominated Trump. “If we’re down to about five people,” the governor says. “I will show respect to the person that emerges from the arena.” |
| Despite his promise not to “wrestle in the mud” with Trump, he throws some shade in the direction of cable shows He says that there are a lot of people who “sit up in the stands and then they have a lot of opinions”. | Despite his promise not to “wrestle in the mud” with Trump, he throws some shade in the direction of cable shows He says that there are a lot of people who “sit up in the stands and then they have a lot of opinions”. |
| “You really don’t know what’s going on in the field unless you’re there,” he goes on. “It’s like a spectator sport, right? It just doesn’t carry credibility with me.” | “You really don’t know what’s going on in the field unless you’re there,” he goes on. “It’s like a spectator sport, right? It just doesn’t carry credibility with me.” |
| Kasich doesn’t want to hear political advice “until you have competed, until you’ve been in this position”. | Kasich doesn’t want to hear political advice “until you have competed, until you’ve been in this position”. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.41pm GMT | at 2.41pm GMT |
| 2.33pm GMT | 2.33pm GMT |
| 14:33 | 14:33 |
| Ohio governor John Kasich whooshes onto the CNN program next. Host Jake Tapper notes that Kasich is friends with Chris Christie who’s just endorsed Donald Trump. | Ohio governor John Kasich whooshes onto the CNN program next. Host Jake Tapper notes that Kasich is friends with Chris Christie who’s just endorsed Donald Trump. |
| “I like Chris, you know I’m his friend as much as one can be with another politician,” Kasich says. He doesn’t really answer the question about his friend-as-much-as-he-can just endorsing the flamboyant billionaire. | “I like Chris, you know I’m his friend as much as one can be with another politician,” Kasich says. He doesn’t really answer the question about his friend-as-much-as-he-can just endorsing the flamboyant billionaire. |
| As far as Trump goes, though, Kasich says: “I beat Hillary by more than any other person in this race, by more than 11 points.” (Fact-check forthcoming…) | As far as Trump goes, though, Kasich says: “I beat Hillary by more than any other person in this race, by more than 11 points.” (Fact-check forthcoming…) |
| “In Ohio I beat him by more than 18 points,” Kasich says of Trump. But he adds that he’ll quit if he can’t beat Trump in Ohio. | “In Ohio I beat him by more than 18 points,” Kasich says of Trump. But he adds that he’ll quit if he can’t beat Trump in Ohio. |
| “You can’t win your home state, you need to get out. We’re going to go to Ohio, I will win Ohio. If we don’t win Ohio it’s time to call it over.” | “You can’t win your home state, you need to get out. We’re going to go to Ohio, I will win Ohio. If we don’t win Ohio it’s time to call it over.” |
| He doesn’t want to get into the nasty attack contests: “Why is it that I’m running even with Donald Trump in Ohio without really making any effort in Ohio?” | He doesn’t want to get into the nasty attack contests: “Why is it that I’m running even with Donald Trump in Ohio without really making any effort in Ohio?” |
| “What changes this race is my ability to win Ohio,” Kasich goes on. He says people tell him “you’re an adult and you’re running a positive campaign.” | “What changes this race is my ability to win Ohio,” Kasich goes on. He says people tell him “you’re an adult and you’re running a positive campaign.” |
| “It’s fine to talk about a person’s record, their accomplishments or lack thereof,” he says, but adds: “We’re all going to shake our heads and say did we really degrade the process of picking the leader of the free world.” | “It’s fine to talk about a person’s record, their accomplishments or lack thereof,” he says, but adds: “We’re all going to shake our heads and say did we really degrade the process of picking the leader of the free world.” |
| But he admits that Trump is likely to run the table on Tuesday, and that his whole strategy hinges on Ohio: | But he admits that Trump is likely to run the table on Tuesday, and that his whole strategy hinges on Ohio: |
| I think Trump’s probably going to win probably all of them, but you keep holding your own … Our campaign plan was ultimately to hold our own in some of these places, and we will, I expect, and then we’re going to head north. | I think Trump’s probably going to win probably all of them, but you keep holding your own … Our campaign plan was ultimately to hold our own in some of these places, and we will, I expect, and then we’re going to head north. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.33pm GMT | at 2.33pm GMT |
| 2.25pm GMT | 2.25pm GMT |
| 14:25 | 14:25 |
| Next up on CNN is Texas senator Ted Cruz, who immediately starts saying that Donald Trump is not conservative enough. | Next up on CNN is Texas senator Ted Cruz, who immediately starts saying that Donald Trump is not conservative enough. |
| Cruz segues into stump-speech mode, saying he “will stand unapologetically with Israel,” and not put “government bureaucrats in a position to ration your care, especially for seniors”. | Cruz segues into stump-speech mode, saying he “will stand unapologetically with Israel,” and not put “government bureaucrats in a position to ration your care, especially for seniors”. |
| He says “those 65% of Republicans that don’t think Donald can beat Hillary will continue to unite” behind his campaign. He does not mention that even if Marco Rubio or John Kasich dropped out of the race, some of their supporters would likely flock to Trump. | He says “those 65% of Republicans that don’t think Donald can beat Hillary will continue to unite” behind his campaign. He does not mention that even if Marco Rubio or John Kasich dropped out of the race, some of their supporters would likely flock to Trump. |
| Tapper asks whether Cruz would support a nominated Trump. “I will support the Republican,” Cruz says. “I think if we nominate Donald, Hillary probably beats him.” | Tapper asks whether Cruz would support a nominated Trump. “I will support the Republican,” Cruz says. “I think if we nominate Donald, Hillary probably beats him.” |
| He again frames Trump as a hypocrite with poor judgment, saying: “Who the heck knows what he would do? Even Donald doesn’t know what he would do.” | He again frames Trump as a hypocrite with poor judgment, saying: “Who the heck knows what he would do? Even Donald doesn’t know what he would do.” |
| Finally, Cruz concedes that Tuesday’s elections are important to keeping his campaign alive: “If you want to stop this Trump train the only way to do so is Super Tuesday.” | Finally, Cruz concedes that Tuesday’s elections are important to keeping his campaign alive: “If you want to stop this Trump train the only way to do so is Super Tuesday.” |
| 2.17pm GMT | 2.17pm GMT |
| 14:17 | 14:17 |
| Trump declines to condemn ex-KKK leader | Trump declines to condemn ex-KKK leader |
| The Anti-Defamation League has asked Trump to condemn ex-Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke, who urged his sympathizers to vote for the billionaire last week. | The Anti-Defamation League has asked Trump to condemn ex-Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke, who urged his sympathizers to vote for the billionaire last week. |
| On Friday, Trump told reporters that he disavows the endorsement – but he’s evasive two days later when Tapper asks him whether he does in fact condemn Duke and the KKK. | On Friday, Trump told reporters that he disavows the endorsement – but he’s evasive two days later when Tapper asks him whether he does in fact condemn Duke and the KKK. |
| “I don’t know anything about David Duke, I don’t know anything about what you’re even talking about with white supremacy or white supremacists,” Trump says. “I know nothing about David Duke, I know nothing about white supremacists.” | “I don’t know anything about David Duke, I don’t know anything about what you’re even talking about with white supremacy or white supremacists,” Trump says. “I know nothing about David Duke, I know nothing about white supremacists.” |
| “Certainly I would disavow it if I though there was something wrong,” he says, before repeating how he knows nothing about Duke and doesn’t think he’s ever met him. “If you send me a list of groups I’ll let you know.” | “Certainly I would disavow it if I though there was something wrong,” he says, before repeating how he knows nothing about Duke and doesn’t think he’s ever met him. “If you send me a list of groups I’ll let you know.” |
| 2.15pm GMT | 2.15pm GMT |
| 14:15 | 14:15 |
| “If they’re doing that that’s a total violation of their pledge,” Trump continues, about reported plans of Republicans not to support him if he wins the nomination. The pledge he’s referring to is one he signed not to run as a third-party candidate. | “If they’re doing that that’s a total violation of their pledge,” Trump continues, about reported plans of Republicans not to support him if he wins the nomination. The pledge he’s referring to is one he signed not to run as a third-party candidate. |
| Tapper asks about tax returns, which Trump has so far not released. Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz released returns earlier this weekend. “I fully disclosed my financials, and I put them in right on time,” Trump says, talking about his campaign finance forms. | Tapper asks about tax returns, which Trump has so far not released. Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz released returns earlier this weekend. “I fully disclosed my financials, and I put them in right on time,” Trump says, talking about his campaign finance forms. |
| “Almost 100 pages of financials, and it shows almost, if you figure it out, shows almost $10bn,” Trump goes on, dodging the question. “You can’t tell anything from tax returns.” | “Almost 100 pages of financials, and it shows almost, if you figure it out, shows almost $10bn,” Trump goes on, dodging the question. “You can’t tell anything from tax returns.” |
| He suggests maybe he’ll “make a listing of the various moneys I’ve given over the years”. | He suggests maybe he’ll “make a listing of the various moneys I’ve given over the years”. |
| “But I can’t release tax returns when there’s an audit,” Trump insists, blaming the IRS. | “But I can’t release tax returns when there’s an audit,” Trump insists, blaming the IRS. |
| Tax experts, by the way, say there is no law that prevents him from releasing his returns during an audit. He could release them now on CNN if he felt like it. | Tax experts, by the way, say there is no law that prevents him from releasing his returns during an audit. He could release them now on CNN if he felt like it. |
| But instead Trump says: “I feel Tea Party, I’ve always felt Tea Party,” and draws a contrast between himself and Ted Cruz, who he notes did not disclose a loan from Goldman Sachs as campaign laws require back during his Senate run. | But instead Trump says: “I feel Tea Party, I’ve always felt Tea Party,” and draws a contrast between himself and Ted Cruz, who he notes did not disclose a loan from Goldman Sachs as campaign laws require back during his Senate run. |
| 2.08pm GMT | 2.08pm GMT |
| 14:08 | 14:08 |
| We’re off to the races with CNN’s State of the Union with Jake Tapper, who starts his Sunday morning as so many do these days: in conversation with Donald Trump. | We’re off to the races with CNN’s State of the Union with Jake Tapper, who starts his Sunday morning as so many do these days: in conversation with Donald Trump. |
| “Good morning,” Trump says. Tapper asks him about his shiny new endorsement from New Jersey governor Chris Christie – who only a few weeks ago was fighting Trump in New Hampshire. | “Good morning,” Trump says. Tapper asks him about his shiny new endorsement from New Jersey governor Chris Christie – who only a few weeks ago was fighting Trump in New Hampshire. |
| “I think it is politics, I mean people say things and then all of a sudden reality sets in. He’s great, he’s a great guy,” Trump goes on. “Chris is one that I really wanted to get.” | “I think it is politics, I mean people say things and then all of a sudden reality sets in. He’s great, he’s a great guy,” Trump goes on. “Chris is one that I really wanted to get.” |
| He then comforts the other people who’ve endorsed him, eg Sarah Palin, Jerry Falwell Jr, saying he loves them too. “I’m bleeding with evangelicals just about every state, nationwide.” | He then comforts the other people who’ve endorsed him, eg Sarah Palin, Jerry Falwell Jr, saying he loves them too. “I’m bleeding with evangelicals just about every state, nationwide.” |
| Tapper asks him about the reports of Republican party stalwarts are planning to abandon Trump should he win the nomination. “ I signed a pledge and a pledge is a two way street,” Trump says. “If they have a problem I’m going to have a big problem with that.” | Tapper asks him about the reports of Republican party stalwarts are planning to abandon Trump should he win the nomination. “ I signed a pledge and a pledge is a two way street,” Trump says. “If they have a problem I’m going to have a big problem with that.” |
| The billionaire says a lot of voters “are angry about the way the Republican party is being run.” He says it’s “not being run properly.” | The billionaire says a lot of voters “are angry about the way the Republican party is being run.” He says it’s “not being run properly.” |
| “If they want to play that game I can play it a lot better than they can.” | “If they want to play that game I can play it a lot better than they can.” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.08pm GMT | at 2.08pm GMT |
| 2.07pm GMT | 2.07pm GMT |
| 14:07 | 14:07 |
| Martin Pengelly | Martin Pengelly |
| Quick thing, for no real reason other than it’s about the nation’s Great Lost Leader, aka its Great Lost Martin, aka former Democratic presidential candidate Martin O’Malley, the former governor of Maryland and mayor of Baltimore who dropped out of the race after Iowa, where he once had an event at which one voter showed up. | Quick thing, for no real reason other than it’s about the nation’s Great Lost Leader, aka its Great Lost Martin, aka former Democratic presidential candidate Martin O’Malley, the former governor of Maryland and mayor of Baltimore who dropped out of the race after Iowa, where he once had an event at which one voter showed up. |
| Anyway: more than one voter voted for O’Malley in South Carolina: 712 more, to be precise. Of course, Bernie Sanders took 95,737 and the winner, Hillary Clinton, took 270,810. And even Willie Wilson, the unknown other Democrat in the race, got more, with 1,317. But still. Hope for Martins. | Anyway: more than one voter voted for O’Malley in South Carolina: 712 more, to be precise. Of course, Bernie Sanders took 95,737 and the winner, Hillary Clinton, took 270,810. And even Willie Wilson, the unknown other Democrat in the race, got more, with 1,317. But still. Hope for Martins. |
| .@JohnKasich, it works better if you ask with a smile. #ProTip #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/lNt1JIF4A0 | .@JohnKasich, it works better if you ask with a smile. #ProTip #GOPDebate pic.twitter.com/lNt1JIF4A0 |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.08pm GMT | at 2.08pm GMT |
| 1.45pm GMT | 1.45pm GMT |
| 13:45 | 13:45 |
| Hello and welcome of our coverage of the sprint to Super Tuesday, the day after Hillary Clinton swept every county in South Carolina and handed Bernie Sanders his soundest defeat of the election so far. | Hello and welcome of our coverage of the sprint to Super Tuesday, the day after Hillary Clinton swept every county in South Carolina and handed Bernie Sanders his soundest defeat of the election so far. |
| The senator from Vermont faces daunting odds but is still hoping to win big on Tuesday, when 12 states, American Samoa and Democrats living abroad will vote for both parties. The elections will award hundreds of delegates – the puzzle pieces to securing a nomination – and could easily widen the gulf between each party’s frontrunner and her/his adversaries. | The senator from Vermont faces daunting odds but is still hoping to win big on Tuesday, when 12 states, American Samoa and Democrats living abroad will vote for both parties. The elections will award hundreds of delegates – the puzzle pieces to securing a nomination – and could easily widen the gulf between each party’s frontrunner and her/his adversaries. |
| Speaking of frontrunners, the Republican with more delegates than the rest, Donald Trump, has this morning retweeted a parody account posing as the fascist dictator Benito Mussolini. The quote is apocryphal, and was likely a proverb before the ally of Adolf Hitler got around to saying it. | Speaking of frontrunners, the Republican with more delegates than the rest, Donald Trump, has this morning retweeted a parody account posing as the fascist dictator Benito Mussolini. The quote is apocryphal, and was likely a proverb before the ally of Adolf Hitler got around to saying it. |
| "@ilduce2016: “It is better to live one day as a lion than 100 years as a sheep.” – @realDonaldTrump #MakeAmericaGreatAgain" | "@ilduce2016: “It is better to live one day as a lion than 100 years as a sheep.” – @realDonaldTrump #MakeAmericaGreatAgain" |
| Speaking of Hitler, two former presidents of Mexico compared Trump to Hitler on Saturday, not long after a French nationalist who believes the Holocaust was not “particularly inhumane” said he’d vote for the billionaire if he could. | Speaking of Hitler, two former presidents of Mexico compared Trump to Hitler on Saturday, not long after a French nationalist who believes the Holocaust was not “particularly inhumane” said he’d vote for the billionaire if he could. |
| Trump’s also riding high off endorsements from two sitting governors, Chris Christie of New Jersey and Paul LePage of Maine, and one from former Arizona governor Jan Brewer. | Trump’s also riding high off endorsements from two sitting governors, Chris Christie of New Jersey and Paul LePage of Maine, and one from former Arizona governor Jan Brewer. |
| Many Republicans, not least the men who want to beat Trump for the nomination, are a little concerned about all this. Senators Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio are growing especially desperate as their paths to the presidency narrow: Cruz hasn’t won a state since Iowa and Rubio has spent the last month trying to convince Americans that you can win an election from second or third place. | Many Republicans, not least the men who want to beat Trump for the nomination, are a little concerned about all this. Senators Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio are growing especially desperate as their paths to the presidency narrow: Cruz hasn’t won a state since Iowa and Rubio has spent the last month trying to convince Americans that you can win an election from second or third place. |
| Cruz leads Trump in his home state of Texas, where 155 delegates are up for grabs on Tuesday, and Rubio has racked up endorsements from local and federal officials around the country. But Cruz is derided by his peers, maybe more so than Trump, and Rubio has failed to convince the hard-right supporters of his fellow senator that he can unite the fractured party. John Kasich and Ben Carson remain in the race, searching for relative moderates and evangelicals respectively, but neither has made a dent in results. | Cruz leads Trump in his home state of Texas, where 155 delegates are up for grabs on Tuesday, and Rubio has racked up endorsements from local and federal officials around the country. But Cruz is derided by his peers, maybe more so than Trump, and Rubio has failed to convince the hard-right supporters of his fellow senator that he can unite the fractured party. John Kasich and Ben Carson remain in the race, searching for relative moderates and evangelicals respectively, but neither has made a dent in results. |
| Party chairman Reince Priebus seems to be pretending none of this is happening. The whole lot of them save Clinton will appear on TV to confront the press this morning – we’ll report, fact-check and analyze it as they do. | Party chairman Reince Priebus seems to be pretending none of this is happening. The whole lot of them save Clinton will appear on TV to confront the press this morning – we’ll report, fact-check and analyze it as they do. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.41pm GMT | at 2.41pm GMT |