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| New York primary: Clinton and Trump look to cement front-runner status | New York primary: Clinton and Trump look to cement front-runner status |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| NEW YORK — Voting continued Tuesday in the most raucous nominating contest of an already wild presidential campaign season, with New York a coveted prize for Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton, who anticipate wins tonight that will vault them closer to their party’s nomination. | |
| But in a sign of the contentious and drawn-out nature of this year’s contest, White House hopefuls poised to come up short had moved on to other states by Tuesday afternoon. | |
| Polls show Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump leading by double-digit margins in a state with vastly diverse backdrops, from the riches of Wall Street and suburban Westchester County to the struggles of industrial cities upstate like Watervliet and Watertown. While those two spent much of the day in New York, the other candidates — Sen. Ted Cruz (Tex.) and Ohio Gov. John Kasich on the GOP side and Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.) in the Democratic race — stumped for votes in Maryland and Pennsylvania, which will hold primaries next week. | |
| A big win for Trump would bring him closer to securing an outright majority of Republican delegates — an outcome that remains in jeopardy and has prompted Cruz to mount a spirited, methodical campaign to force a contested convention. | |
| [6 things to watch in New York’s primary tonight] | |
| For Clinton, a victory would provide a boost of momentum after a blitz of recent primary and caucus wins for Sanders. Unlike Trump, Clinton is so far ahead in the delegate count that it would be nearly impossible for Sanders to catch her. | |
| Many New Yorkers celebrated their newfound relevance Tuesday, even if they have grown a bit weary of the barrage of ads on the airwaves in recent weeks. | Many New Yorkers celebrated their newfound relevance Tuesday, even if they have grown a bit weary of the barrage of ads on the airwaves in recent weeks. |
| “It’s nice. I feel like our vote usually doesn’t count,” said Sunita Ray, 41, who voted for Clinton in Midtown Manhattan. Still, she said she will not miss some aspects of the heated primary campaign. “The ads were a little annoying.” | “It’s nice. I feel like our vote usually doesn’t count,” said Sunita Ray, 41, who voted for Clinton in Midtown Manhattan. Still, she said she will not miss some aspects of the heated primary campaign. “The ads were a little annoying.” |
| Clinton cast her own vote in Chappaqua in suburban New York, where supporters had waited outside with signs and buttons. | Clinton cast her own vote in Chappaqua in suburban New York, where supporters had waited outside with signs and buttons. |
| She and former president Bill Clinton entered the polling station in an elementary school gymnasium. They were greeted by the school’s principal, who snapped a selfie with the former first couple: “Mr. President! Get in it!” the principal said, urging Bill Clinton to join the photo. | She and former president Bill Clinton entered the polling station in an elementary school gymnasium. They were greeted by the school’s principal, who snapped a selfie with the former first couple: “Mr. President! Get in it!” the principal said, urging Bill Clinton to join the photo. |
| Hillary Clinton then flew to Washington to address the North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) legislative conference, although she planned to end the day in New York City. | Hillary Clinton then flew to Washington to address the North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) legislative conference, although she planned to end the day in New York City. |
| Meanwhile, scores of onlookers gathered Tuesday morning outside Trump Tower to catch a glimpse of Trump as he left home to vote. They waved enthusiastically behind a barricade before the billionaire’s motorcade took off down 56th Street. The sidewalks surrounding Central Synagogue in Manhattan, where Trump voted, were lined with supporters and some protesters. | Meanwhile, scores of onlookers gathered Tuesday morning outside Trump Tower to catch a glimpse of Trump as he left home to vote. They waved enthusiastically behind a barricade before the billionaire’s motorcade took off down 56th Street. The sidewalks surrounding Central Synagogue in Manhattan, where Trump voted, were lined with supporters and some protesters. |
| Someone asked Trump whom he intended to vote for. “Easy decision,” he replied, smiling. | Someone asked Trump whom he intended to vote for. “Easy decision,” he replied, smiling. |
| Speaking Tuesday on “Fox & Friends,” the New York real estate magnate said he was confident that his home state would reject Cruz. “He does not like New York, and he doesn’t like New Yorkers,” Trump said. | Speaking Tuesday on “Fox & Friends,” the New York real estate magnate said he was confident that his home state would reject Cruz. “He does not like New York, and he doesn’t like New Yorkers,” Trump said. |
| [Trump’s field director steps aside] | [Trump’s field director steps aside] |
| “Frankly, we’re in a position where we’d like to close it out,” Trump said of amassing enough delegates to win on the first ballot at July’s GOP convention. “I think I’m going to get to the number, I’m pretty sure.” | “Frankly, we’re in a position where we’d like to close it out,” Trump said of amassing enough delegates to win on the first ballot at July’s GOP convention. “I think I’m going to get to the number, I’m pretty sure.” |
| The Sanders campaign has played down his prospects in New York, citing the state’s closed primary, which does not allow the participation of independents. The senator noted Tuesday that about 3 million independents in New York will be unable to vote in the primaries Tuesday because of the rule. | The Sanders campaign has played down his prospects in New York, citing the state’s closed primary, which does not allow the participation of independents. The senator noted Tuesday that about 3 million independents in New York will be unable to vote in the primaries Tuesday because of the rule. |
| On a morning stroll around the block from the Times Square hotel where he was staying, Sanders ran into Michael Cantalupo, 21, a local television host, who told Sanders that he had missed the October deadline to switch his unaffiliated voting status to Democratic. | On a morning stroll around the block from the Times Square hotel where he was staying, Sanders ran into Michael Cantalupo, 21, a local television host, who told Sanders that he had missed the October deadline to switch his unaffiliated voting status to Democratic. |
| “This is the problem. Tell them,” Sanders told Cantalupo, directing him to talk to more than a dozen reporters trailing the senator on his walk. | “This is the problem. Tell them,” Sanders told Cantalupo, directing him to talk to more than a dozen reporters trailing the senator on his walk. |
| Shortly afterward, he headed to Pennsylvania for two campaign stops. During his first, in Erie, he attacked Clinton’s trade record. | Shortly afterward, he headed to Pennsylvania for two campaign stops. During his first, in Erie, he attacked Clinton’s trade record. |
| “It took me about 12 seconds to figure out that NAFTA was going to be a disaster for American workers,” Sanders told a rally, referring to the free-trade pact involving the United States, Mexico and Canada that was approved during President Clinton’s administration. | “It took me about 12 seconds to figure out that NAFTA was going to be a disaster for American workers,” Sanders told a rally, referring to the free-trade pact involving the United States, Mexico and Canada that was approved during President Clinton’s administration. |
| Sanders, who did not mention the New York race in his remarks, also continued to take aim at Clinton for not releasing transcripts of paid speeches she gave to Wall Street firms behind closed doors in the run-up to her presidential bid, including one to Goldman Sachs for $225,000. | Sanders, who did not mention the New York race in his remarks, also continued to take aim at Clinton for not releasing transcripts of paid speeches she gave to Wall Street firms behind closed doors in the run-up to her presidential bid, including one to Goldman Sachs for $225,000. |
| “Now it must be that these speeches were so extraordinary, so enlightening, so globally transforming, written in Shakespearean prose,” Sanders said. “I cannot think of any other reason why someone would have been paid $225,000.” | “Now it must be that these speeches were so extraordinary, so enlightening, so globally transforming, written in Shakespearean prose,” Sanders said. “I cannot think of any other reason why someone would have been paid $225,000.” |
| Clinton took several swipes at her competitor without naming him. While the NABTU, which has endorsed her, had a conference program focused on domestic issues, she also emphasized the differences between Sanders and herself on international affairs and national security. | Clinton took several swipes at her competitor without naming him. While the NABTU, which has endorsed her, had a conference program focused on domestic issues, she also emphasized the differences between Sanders and herself on international affairs and national security. |
| “In addition to making good things happen for you and your families, we’ve got to have a strategy to keep our country safe and continue to lead the world in accordance with our values and interests,” the former secretary of state said. “Our next president has to be just as passionate about defending our country as she is about fixing our economy.” | “In addition to making good things happen for you and your families, we’ve got to have a strategy to keep our country safe and continue to lead the world in accordance with our values and interests,” the former secretary of state said. “Our next president has to be just as passionate about defending our country as she is about fixing our economy.” |
| On the question of trade, which is pivotal for many union members, Clinton told the audience, “I will stand with you, I will have your back, and I will stop dead in its tracks any trade deal that hurts you or hurts America. | On the question of trade, which is pivotal for many union members, Clinton told the audience, “I will stand with you, I will have your back, and I will stop dead in its tracks any trade deal that hurts you or hurts America. |
| “But I believe we need a president who doesn’t just complain about trade; we need a president who knows how to compete and win for American workers,” she added. | “But I believe we need a president who doesn’t just complain about trade; we need a president who knows how to compete and win for American workers,” she added. |
| Back in New York, Sanders still had plenty of support, including from first-time voter Fitch Li, 28. Li said he backs Sanders’s plan to break up large banks, implement universal health care and push for free college tuition. And he said he is not sure he could ever vote for Clinton even if she wins the nomination. | Back in New York, Sanders still had plenty of support, including from first-time voter Fitch Li, 28. Li said he backs Sanders’s plan to break up large banks, implement universal health care and push for free college tuition. And he said he is not sure he could ever vote for Clinton even if she wins the nomination. |
| “I think she’s hard to trust,” Li said. “And considering all the money she took from corporations . . . I feel like the president should be trustworthy, and she’s not.” | “I think she’s hard to trust,” Li said. “And considering all the money she took from corporations . . . I feel like the president should be trustworthy, and she’s not.” |
| But others, such as Bill Sattan, 74, questioned whether Sanders could actually implement his ideas. “Breaking up the banks is good and all, but how are you going to do it?” Sattan said. He added, “I voted for the woman.” | But others, such as Bill Sattan, 74, questioned whether Sanders could actually implement his ideas. “Breaking up the banks is good and all, but how are you going to do it?” Sattan said. He added, “I voted for the woman.” |
| Clinton has tailored her message in New York to her tenure as the state’s senator for eight years, calling upon voters to remember the work she did on their behalf. But she has also sought to use Trump and New York’s diversity to make a sweeping case that the primary — and the election as a whole — is about a choice between her vision for the future and Trump’s divisive rhetoric. | Clinton has tailored her message in New York to her tenure as the state’s senator for eight years, calling upon voters to remember the work she did on their behalf. But she has also sought to use Trump and New York’s diversity to make a sweeping case that the primary — and the election as a whole — is about a choice between her vision for the future and Trump’s divisive rhetoric. |
| [Clinton asks New Yorkers to make primary a referendum on Trump] | [Clinton asks New Yorkers to make primary a referendum on Trump] |
| Like Sanders, Cruz is bracing for a loss in New York, polling behind not only Trump in recent surveys but also Kasich, whose only primary victory so far came in his home state. | Like Sanders, Cruz is bracing for a loss in New York, polling behind not only Trump in recent surveys but also Kasich, whose only primary victory so far came in his home state. |
| Cruz was scheduled to speak later Tuesday in Philadelphia and huddle after a campaign rally with dozens of Republicans running to serve as national convention delegates at the Cleveland convention. | |
| Kasich began the day Tuesday by canvassing the lunchtime crowd at Pittsburgh’s Original Oyster House, and was scheduled to campaign later in Annapolis and Bethesda. | |
| O’Keefe and Eilperin reported from Washington. John Wagner in New York and Erie, Pa., Abby Phillip in New York, and Scott Clement, Anne Gearan and Katie Zezima in Washington contributed to this report. | |