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| Clinton and Trump look to N.Y. primary to cement front-runner status | Clinton and Trump look to N.Y. primary to cement front-runner status |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| NEW YORK — Voting opened Tuesday in the most raucous nominating contest of an already wild campaign season, making New York a coveted prize for both delegates and bragging rights that were expected to strengthen the trajectory of the two front-runners. | |
| Polls show Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump ahead by double-digit margins in a state with vastly diverse backdrops from Wall Street to struggling rust belt cities upstate. | Polls show Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump ahead by double-digit margins in a state with vastly diverse backdrops from Wall Street to struggling rust belt cities upstate. |
| 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 rival Ted Cruz to mount a spirited campaign to force a contested convention. | 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 rival Ted Cruz to mount a spirited campaign to force a contested convention. |
| [GOP worries about convention chaos while Trump pushes for ‘showbiz’ feel] | [GOP worries about convention chaos while Trump pushes for ‘showbiz’ feel] |
| For Clinton, a victory would give her a boost of momentum after a blitz of recent primary and caucus wins by rival Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.). Unlike Trump, Clinton is so far ahead in the delegate count that it’s close to impossible for Sanders to catch up. | For Clinton, a victory would give her a boost of momentum after a blitz of recent primary and caucus wins by rival Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.). Unlike Trump, Clinton is so far ahead in the delegate count that it’s close to impossible for Sanders to catch up. |
| Clinton spent Monday reaching out to New Yorkers one handshake and one neighborhood at a time. She stopped by a hospital cafeteria in Yonkers, met with workers at a unionized car wash in Queens and sipped “bubble tea” at Kung Fu Tea counter in Flushing. | Clinton spent Monday reaching out to New Yorkers one handshake and one neighborhood at a time. She stopped by a hospital cafeteria in Yonkers, met with workers at a unionized car wash in Queens and sipped “bubble tea” at Kung Fu Tea counter in Flushing. |
| Clinton planned to voting at Douglas A. Grafflin Elementary School in Chappaqua in suburban New York. Supporters waited outside with signs and buttons. | Clinton planned to voting at Douglas A. Grafflin Elementary School in Chappaqua in suburban New York. Supporters waited outside with signs and buttons. |
| Later Tuesday, Clinton is expected to speak at the Building Trades Union Conference in Washington before returning to New York City. | Later Tuesday, Clinton is expected to speak at the Building Trades Union Conference in Washington before returning to New York City. |
| Trump, meanwhile, appeared for a photo op at his own Trump Tower in Manhattan Monday with a new “diversity coalition.” The group, representing many ethnic groups, is trying to fight accusations that Trump has stoked racial and ethnic tensions with his anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim rhetoric. | Trump, meanwhile, appeared for a photo op at his own Trump Tower in Manhattan Monday with a new “diversity coalition.” The group, representing many ethnic groups, is trying to fight accusations that Trump has stoked racial and ethnic tensions with his anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim rhetoric. |
| Speaking Tuesday on “Fox & Friends,” the New York billionaire said he was confident his home state would reject the Texan Cruz. “He does not like New York and he doesn’t like New Yorkers,” Trump said. | Speaking Tuesday on “Fox & Friends,” the New York billionaire said he was confident his home state would reject the Texan 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 doesn’t allow the participation of independents. But Sanders has drawn tens of thousands of supporters at rallies in recent days, and he spent much of Monday shaking hands during a series of unannounced appearances around New York City. | The Sanders campaign has played down his prospects in New York, citing the state’s closed primary, which doesn’t allow the participation of independents. But Sanders has drawn tens of thousands of supporters at rallies in recent days, and he spent much of Monday shaking hands during a series of unannounced appearances around New York City. |
| “My experience has been, in this campaign so far, is that we win when the turnout is high. We lose when the turnout is low,” Sanders told the audience in Queens late Monday, urging New Yorkers to “help take this country a giant step forward for the political revolution.” | “My experience has been, in this campaign so far, is that we win when the turnout is high. We lose when the turnout is low,” Sanders told the audience in Queens late Monday, urging New Yorkers to “help take this country a giant step forward for the political revolution.” |
| In a sign of how he is already looking ahead to other primary contests, Sanders was scheduled to fly to Pennsylvania later Tuesday. | In a sign of how he is already looking ahead to other primary contests, Sanders was scheduled to fly to Pennsylvania later Tuesday. |
| On Monday Sanders strolled down the Avenue of the Americas, greeting surprised Manhattanites over the course of 15 city blocks. | On Monday Sanders strolled down the Avenue of the Americas, greeting surprised Manhattanites over the course of 15 city blocks. |
| He also visited a public housing project in the Bronx, where he said a shuttered playground and community center were unacceptable “in the wealthiest nation in the history of the world.” | He also visited a public housing project in the Bronx, where he said a shuttered playground and community center were unacceptable “in the wealthiest nation in the history of the world.” |
| 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 that she did on her 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 on 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 that she did on her 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 on a whole — is about a choice between her vision for the future and Trump’s divisive rhetoric. |
| “I am so proud of New York,” Clinton said. “Lady Liberty stands in our harbor. We are a city of immigrants, a state of immigrants and a nation of immigrants.” | “I am so proud of New York,” Clinton said. “Lady Liberty stands in our harbor. We are a city of immigrants, a state of immigrants and a nation of immigrants.” |
| At a campaign event in Midtown Manhattan, where she was joined by a slate of women leaders that included Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Clinton hit both Trump and Sanders simultaneously. She criticized Trump for suggesting that women should be punished for seeking abortions and Sanders for suggesting that Trump’s comments were a distraction. | At a campaign event in Midtown Manhattan, where she was joined by a slate of women leaders that included Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Clinton hit both Trump and Sanders simultaneously. She criticized Trump for suggesting that women should be punished for seeking abortions and Sanders for suggesting that Trump’s comments were a distraction. |
| “When Trump said what he said about punishing women, I was appalled,” Clinton said. “That was a core issue. | “When Trump said what he said about punishing women, I was appalled,” Clinton said. “That was a core issue. |
| “When my opponent in this primary said it was a distraction and he wanted to talk about the real issues, I was appalled again.” | “When my opponent in this primary said it was a distraction and he wanted to talk about the real issues, I was appalled again.” |
| [Clinton asks New Yorkers to make primary a referendum on Trump] | [Clinton asks New Yorkers to make primary a referendum on Trump] |
| Trump has crisscrossed the state in recent days. Over the weekend, he held campaign events in Staten Island and in Poughkeepsie, where he accused Cruz of being dishonest and too close to special interests. He also highlighted his message of economic populism. He was scheduled to hold a rally in Buffalo later Monday. | Trump has crisscrossed the state in recent days. Over the weekend, he held campaign events in Staten Island and in Poughkeepsie, where he accused Cruz of being dishonest and too close to special interests. He also highlighted his message of economic populism. He was scheduled to hold a rally in Buffalo later Monday. |
| Like Sanders, Cruz is bracing for a loss in New York, polling behind not only Trump in recent surveys but also Ohio Gov. John 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 Ohio Gov. John Kasich, whose only primary victory so far came in his home state. |
| On Monday, Cruz was already looking ahead to a string of upcoming contests in Eastern states, including Maryland, which will vote next week. The senator from Texas spent Monday bouncing between New York and Maryland, where he held a rally at an American Legion hall in the Baltimore suburb of Towson. Cruz held a private meeting with GOP leaders in New York on Monday ahead of an evening fundraiser at the Harvard Club. | On Monday, Cruz was already looking ahead to a string of upcoming contests in Eastern states, including Maryland, which will vote next week. The senator from Texas spent Monday bouncing between New York and Maryland, where he held a rally at an American Legion hall in the Baltimore suburb of Towson. Cruz held a private meeting with GOP leaders in New York on Monday ahead of an evening fundraiser at the Harvard Club. |
| In Maryland, he told supporters that he expects the state to have an “outsized voice” as “the nation is looking to Maryland to decide: Do we nominate Donald Trump and hand the election to Hillary Clinton, or do we unite behind the Cruz campaign and beat Hillary Clinton?” | In Maryland, he told supporters that he expects the state to have an “outsized voice” as “the nation is looking to Maryland to decide: Do we nominate Donald Trump and hand the election to Hillary Clinton, or do we unite behind the Cruz campaign and beat Hillary Clinton?” |
| For Trump, a strong victory in New York could help him recover from several recent setbacks. Earlier this month, he lost the Wisconsin primary to Cruz amid a series of controversies over women’s issues that many critics hoped represented a break in the wave of populist momentum buoying his candidacy. | For Trump, a strong victory in New York could help him recover from several recent setbacks. Earlier this month, he lost the Wisconsin primary to Cruz amid a series of controversies over women’s issues that many critics hoped represented a break in the wave of populist momentum buoying his candidacy. |
| The campaign also struggled to secure delegates in states, including Wyoming and Colorado, that require deep organization on the ground to secure favorable delegate slates. Cruz, meanwhile, has built up such organizations across the country, resulting in the selection of delegates who favor him. Many of these delegates will be bound to vote for Trump on a first ballot. But if Trump fails to secure an outright majority at the national convention, these delegates would be free to vote for Cruz on a second ballot. | The campaign also struggled to secure delegates in states, including Wyoming and Colorado, that require deep organization on the ground to secure favorable delegate slates. Cruz, meanwhile, has built up such organizations across the country, resulting in the selection of delegates who favor him. Many of these delegates will be bound to vote for Trump on a first ballot. But if Trump fails to secure an outright majority at the national convention, these delegates would be free to vote for Cruz on a second ballot. |
| In recent days Trump has overhauled his staff, installing veteran strategist Paul Manafort to oversee his delegate and convention strategy and Rick Wiley, who previously managed Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign, as his national political director. In response Trump’s national field director, Stuart Jolly, resigned on Monday. | In recent days Trump has overhauled his staff, installing veteran strategist Paul Manafort to oversee his delegate and convention strategy and Rick Wiley, who previously managed Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign, as his national political director. In response Trump’s national field director, Stuart Jolly, resigned on Monday. |
| Trump also acknowledged that his tendency to say controversial things might have undermined his campaign at points. | Trump also acknowledged that his tendency to say controversial things might have undermined his campaign at points. |
| “I guess maybe I could have said a few less words, or a few less things,” Trump said when asked by a voter whether there is anything he would have done differently during his run. | “I guess maybe I could have said a few less words, or a few less things,” Trump said when asked by a voter whether there is anything he would have done differently during his run. |
| Eilperin reported from Washington. Abby Phillip and John Wagner in New York and Katie Zezima in Washington contributed to this report. | Eilperin reported from Washington. Abby Phillip and John Wagner in New York and Katie Zezima in Washington contributed to this report. |