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Top Rubio aide tells supporters to vote Kasich in Ohio primary – campaign live Top Rubio aide tells supporters to vote Kasich in Ohio primary – campaign live
(about 1 hour later)
6.50pm GMT
18:50
Team Kasich issues a second, still edgy response to the backing of team Rubio in Ohio:
Kasich spokesman agrees with Rubio that the best way to beat Donald Trump in Ohio is to vote for Kasich pic.twitter.com/Y7fR5ZZdAH
5.52pm GMT5.52pm GMT
17:5217:52
Video: Obama jokes about Ted Cruz’s (former) Canadian citizenship at state dinnerVideo: Obama jokes about Ted Cruz’s (former) Canadian citizenship at state dinner
5.45pm GMT5.45pm GMT
17:4517:45
Rubio continues, saying a vote for either of his non-Trump rivals in Florida is in fact a vote for Trump:Rubio continues, saying a vote for either of his non-Trump rivals in Florida is in fact a vote for Trump:
Rubio: "I'm telling people in Florida the truth: A vote for Ted Cruz or a vote for John Kasich in Florida is a vote for Donald Trump."Rubio: "I'm telling people in Florida the truth: A vote for Ted Cruz or a vote for John Kasich in Florida is a vote for Donald Trump."
5.36pm GMT5.36pm GMT
17:3617:36
Don’t sell yourself short?Don’t sell yourself short?
Rubio: "Clearly John Kasich has a better chance of winning Ohio than I do."Rubio: "Clearly John Kasich has a better chance of winning Ohio than I do."
The Real Clear Politics polling averages of Ohio have Trump up just 2.5 points on Kasich and the governor climbing fast. Rubio is way down in fourth place with single-digit support.The Real Clear Politics polling averages of Ohio have Trump up just 2.5 points on Kasich and the governor climbing fast. Rubio is way down in fourth place with single-digit support.
In his best Florida polls, Rubio is down 5-6 points. In his best Ohio poll, he's down 22 points https://t.co/HpSufJgNBxIn his best Florida polls, Rubio is down 5-6 points. In his best Ohio poll, he's down 22 points https://t.co/HpSufJgNBx
To which we’re tempted to reply, in the voice of Bernie Sanders: Mi-chi-gan! Mi-chi-gan!To which we’re tempted to reply, in the voice of Bernie Sanders: Mi-chi-gan! Mi-chi-gan!
UpdatedUpdated
at 5.38pm GMTat 5.38pm GMT
5.21pm GMT5.21pm GMT
17:2117:21
Police: battery investigation of Trump aide 'ongoing'Police: battery investigation of Trump aide 'ongoing'
Jupiter, FL release confirming investigation into alleged assault on reporter Michelle Fields -- pic.twitter.com/C3qaCZKequJupiter, FL release confirming investigation into alleged assault on reporter Michelle Fields -- pic.twitter.com/C3qaCZKequ
5.20pm GMT5.20pm GMT
17:2017:20
Rubio stops short of telling Ohio supporters to vote Kasich.Rubio stops short of telling Ohio supporters to vote Kasich.
Q: Are you telling voters in Ohio to support John Kasich?Rubio: "I'll leave it for John to make that argument."Q: Are you telling voters in Ohio to support John Kasich?Rubio: "I'll leave it for John to make that argument."
He also, incidentally, stops short of backing a two-state solution for Israel/Palestine:He also, incidentally, stops short of backing a two-state solution for Israel/Palestine:
Asked Rubio if he's ruling out even pursing 2-state solution. He says yes, won't force Israel to negotiating table where nothing will happenAsked Rubio if he's ruling out even pursing 2-state solution. He says yes, won't force Israel to negotiating table where nothing will happen
5.11pm GMT5.11pm GMT
17:1117:11
Trump camp: 'statement regarding Breitbart reporter'Trump camp: 'statement regarding Breitbart reporter'
The Trump campaign has released a new statement denying that campaign manager Corey Lewandowski manhandled reporter Michelle Fields.The Trump campaign has released a new statement denying that campaign manager Corey Lewandowski manhandled reporter Michelle Fields.
It’s unclear who’s speaking in the statement.It’s unclear who’s speaking in the statement.
The statement links to a story on Breitbart, Fields’ employer, that questions whether it was Lewandowski who laid hands on her.The statement links to a story on Breitbart, Fields’ employer, that questions whether it was Lewandowski who laid hands on her.
The statement says there’s no evidence of the incident despite audio and video recordings and witness statements.The statement says there’s no evidence of the incident despite audio and video recordings and witness statements.
The statement backs down from yesterday’s suggestion by the Trump camp that Fields was a craven attention seeker making up a story for attention. Today’s statement appears to leave room for the possibility that Fields was grabbed and hurt, and it does not engage in the attacks on Fields’ character that characterized the campaign’s response yesterday.The statement backs down from yesterday’s suggestion by the Trump camp that Fields was a craven attention seeker making up a story for attention. Today’s statement appears to leave room for the possibility that Fields was grabbed and hurt, and it does not engage in the attacks on Fields’ character that characterized the campaign’s response yesterday.
It just calls Fields’ claim that it was Lewandowski who hurt her “entirely false.”It just calls Fields’ claim that it was Lewandowski who hurt her “entirely false.”
Trump campaign sends out press release calling @MichelleFields a liar and linking to her own publication :| pic.twitter.com/019RknB6eETrump campaign sends out press release calling @MichelleFields a liar and linking to her own publication :| pic.twitter.com/019RknB6eE
UpdatedUpdated
at 5.28pm GMTat 5.28pm GMT
5.04pm GMT5.04pm GMT
17:0417:04
Rubio muses on his political future... and lunch:Rubio muses on his political future... and lunch:
Asked if he'd run for governor if his campaign doesn't work out, Rubio says: "I haven't even thought of what I'm having for lunch today."Asked if he'd run for governor if his campaign doesn't work out, Rubio says: "I haven't even thought of what I'm having for lunch today."
Rubio on his political future: "If I never hold elective office again, I'm comfortable with that."Rubio on his political future: "If I never hold elective office again, I'm comfortable with that."
5.03pm GMT5.03pm GMT
17:0317:03
Kasich camp on Rubio support: 'we were going to win without help'Kasich camp on Rubio support: 'we were going to win without help'
Kasich spox Rob Nichols on Rubio news: "We were going to win in OH without his help, just as he's going to lose in FL w/o ours"Kasich spox Rob Nichols on Rubio news: "We were going to win in OH without his help, just as he's going to lose in FL w/o ours"
This could have been done more politely https://t.co/lIdXV7zLJlThis could have been done more politely https://t.co/lIdXV7zLJl
4.59pm GMT4.59pm GMT
16:5916:59
Kasich nets a big homestate coach endorsement. At the debate last night Kasich referred to “my beloved Buckeyes.”Kasich nets a big homestate coach endorsement. At the debate last night Kasich referred to “my beloved Buckeyes.”
Kasich endorsed by Ohio State coach Urban Meyer who has 88% approval/1% disapp with Ohio GOP https://t.co/ytXICkFCOH via @reidepsteinKasich endorsed by Ohio State coach Urban Meyer who has 88% approval/1% disapp with Ohio GOP https://t.co/ytXICkFCOH via @reidepstein
4.56pm GMT
16:56
The Guardian’s Sabrina Siddiqui is at a Rubio news conference in Florida. On whether his supporters should back Kasich in Ohio: Rubio says it’s up to them.
Rubio says he expects Ohio voters to decide if they believe John Kasich has best chance of defeating Trump.
Rubio says he has never talked to Ted Cruz about joining forces to stop Donald Trump.
4.53pm GMT
16:53
If the field in Ohio – which has 66 Republican delegates to give to the first-place winner and only the winner of its Tuesday primary – were to narrow, Trump’s prospects would narrow as well, polling indicates.
The sitting governor might dominate Trump in a two-way race, for example.
We found Kasich led Trump 55-40 if it was a head to head in Ohio https://t.co/wTtFjC450W
4.47pm GMT
16:47
Here’s a video snippet from the Trump event Tuesday that could support Michelle Fields’ version of events.
Fields moves down and to her left. Lewandowski enters screen, looks back. Terris enters, talks to Lewandowski. pic.twitter.com/7XhWYB5rJt
4.40pm GMT
16:40
This is compelling food for thought. But Ted Cruz has just held a rally in Orlando. Not quite “out of FL.”
So to review:(1) Bush has meeting with Rubio, Cruz, Kasich.(2) Cruz gets out of FL.(3) Rubio says go Kasich in OH.(4) Cruz in NC, MO, IL
This is fun.
If Rubio wins FL, he needs Trump to lose OH anyway. If Rubio loses FL, helping stop Trump in OH is good for the brand
Updated
at 4.41pm GMT
4.37pm GMT
16:37
Rubio camp asks Ohioans to vote for Kasich
Ohio and Florida, which vote on Tuesday, are both winner-take-all states. John Kasich might beat Trump in Ohio. Marco Rubio might beat Trump in Florida. But Marco Rubio very probably does not stand a chance of winning Ohio. And the same is true of Kasich in Florida.
But what if the two pooled their supporters in their respective home states in an attempt to gang up on Trump?
The Rubio team appears to have made a move to do just that:
BREAKING: @marcorubio communications director @AlexConant tells us Rubio supporters in Ohio should vote for @JohnKasich.@ThisHour
4.34pm GMT
16:34
National Review endorses Cruz
The failure of the National Review, the historically significant showcase for conservative thought, to sway ... anyone?... with its special January issue Against Trump may call into question the practical value of its presidential endorsement.
In any case, that’s now been awarded to Texas senator Ted Cruz.
“Ted’s the only one with a plausible path to stopping Trump,” National Review editor Rich Lowry told Politico, “either by getting a majority himself or denying Trump a majority and finishing close behind and getting it to convention.”
Here’s the January cover with a link to the argument:
Conservatives against Trump https://t.co/XmGNWXJq17 pic.twitter.com/93UKXbdfrA
4.20pm GMT
16:20
Reporter files complaint against Trump aide
Breitbart reporter Michelle Fields has filed a criminal complaint against Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski in Jupiter, Florida, where she says Lewandowski hurt her at a Trump event Tuesday.
.@GuardianUS can confirm that @MichelleFields filed a criminal complaint against @CLewandowski_ today
Trump and Lewandowski denied the incident happened. Lewandowski called Fields “totally delusional” and Trump said “she made it up, I think that’s what happened.”
4.17pm GMT
16:17
Rubio wins Hawaii delegate
Reports that Florida senator Marco Rubio won no delegates in voting Tuesday, including reports in this blog, were wrong.
Last night Hawaii completed its count of 2,000 provisional ballots and determined that Rubio had come away with a single delegate from the state, the AP reports. He beat the skunk.
There were 150 delegates at stake on Tuesday, in Hawaii, Idaho, Michigan and Mississippi.
Next stop: Florida.
(h/t: @consultreid)
Updated
at 4.18pm GMT
3.52pm GMT
15:52
MSNBC’s Trymaine Lee is outside a Trump rally in St Louis, where protesters have faced off with supporters.
Battle lines drawn at Trump rally pic.twitter.com/Y9yRTnjOAm
"He's black and he supports Trump!" pic.twitter.com/lxh20YyRxR
Here’s our report at recent violence at Trump rallies:
Related: Trump campaign dogged by violent incidents at rallies
And here’s Guardian columnist Lucia Graves’ comment piece:
Related: Donald Trump's campaign violence is condoned all the way to the top | Lucia Graves
Updated
at 3.58pm GMT
3.32pm GMT
15:32
Ben Jacobs
Carson said he was supporting Trump to stop the Republican party from being torn “irreparably” asunder. But what if the party sunders itself anyway, in an attempt to block candidate Trump at the national convention in July?
“For the first time since the invention of social media and 24-hour cable news, a major party may decide its presidential nominee on the convention floor,” writes Guardian politics reporter Ben Jacobs.
But what exactly is a contested convention?
Related: How a contested convention could allow Republicans to snatch Trump's crown
In the dark ages of American politics, the elaborate politicking of a presidential primary was once condensed into a political convention. For decades, instead of a long public process during which candidates traipsed from Iowa to New Hampshire and onwards across the country for series of primaries and caucuses, presidential nominees were chosen in overheated convention halls and the smoke-filled rooms in adjacent hotels.
However, as more states instituted primaries to select their delegates, a process that accelerated greatly in the 1970s, the conventions receded in importance. The last political convention to go to more than one ballot was the Democrats’ in 1952, when they nominated Adlai Stevenson. [...]
The problems come in several forms. The first is that since conventions have been long thought to be vestigial parts of American politics, candidates’ campaigns are not fully prepared for the delegate chase – a full scale 50-state scramble. Campaigns have to take care to not just make the ballot in every state but to fill their slates of delegates with names and ensure that those delegates pledged to them are actual supporters and not what veteran Republican strategist John Yob calls “supporters in name only”, or Sinos.
Read the full piece here.
Updated
at 3.32pm GMT