Page 3 - AD
P. 3
U.S. NEWS A3
Tuesday 12 April 2016
Tensions fray in both parties ahead of New York primary
L. LERER A supporter of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump walks outside the Times Union What is this democracy
K. RONAYNE Center before a rally in Albany, N.Y., Monday, April 11, 2016. of which you speak? You
Associated Press mean voters get to vote?”
NEW YORK (AP) — Ten- (AP Photo/Mike Groll) At a rally in Rochester on
sions frayed in both the Sunday, Trump had blast-
Democratic and Republi- in Colorado to Cruz. Cruz told hundreds of sup- in Utah, North Dakota, Wis- ed the way the country
can presidential races on “Donald has been yell- porters gathered in Irvine, consin and Colorado. chooses presidential party
Monday, as Hillary Clinton ing and screaming. A lot California. “When people vote against nominees as “corrupt” and
and Donald Trump tried to of whining. I’m sure some He noted Trump’s com- him they’re stealing the “crooked” — a sentiment
stave off the prospect of a cursing. And some late- plaints follow his struggles election?” Cruz charged. echoed by surrogates and
lengthy battle for the nomi- night fevered tweeting,” in recent primary contests “It’s really an odd notion. supporters who appear
nation with big victories in increasingly troubled by
New York. Cruz’s superior organization
While Clinton escalated when it comes to wrangling
her attacks against rival delegates who will choose
Bernie Sanders, Republi- the party’s nominee at the
can front-runner Donald national convention.
Trump complained about “I see it with Bernie too,”
a “rigged” nomination pro- Trump told Fox News Mon-
cess prompting a fierce day, pointing to the Dem-
defense from party lead- ocratic race. “Every time
ers. Both candidates are I turn on your show - Ber-
pushing for big wins in next nie wins, Bernie wins, Ber-
week’s New York primary, nie wins. And yet Bernie’s
hoping to create a sense not winning. I mean, it’s a
of inevitably around their rigged system folks.”
candidacies with sizable Trump’s accusations come
delegate gains. as he seeks to outmaneu-
Campaigning in southern ver Cruz in local state gath-
California, Texas Sen. Ted erings where the delegates
Cruz described Trump’s at- who will attend the sum-
tacks on the Republican mer convention are be-
nomination process as ing chosen. In state after
“whining.” Trump erupted state, Cruz’s campaign has
on Fox News on Monday implemented a more stra-
morning over his loss of re- tegic approach to picking
cently-allocated delegates up delegates, which, de-
spite Trump’s current lead,
are essential if he wants to
reach the 1,237 delegates
needed to win the nomina-
tion.
Cruz’s appearance in
California, which holds
its primary in June, was a
reminder that regardless
of what happens in New
York’s primary, the presi-
dential nomination on the
Republican side — if not
for both parties — won’t
be decided for another
two months. Clinton hopes
to capture what her team
says would be an all-but-
insurmountable lead by the
end of the month in prima-
ries in New York and other
eastern states.
Sanders believes he can
turn a string of primary
wins into a victory in dele-
gate-rich New York. But he
faces the daunting chal-
lenge of needing to win 68
percent of the remaining
delegates and uncommit-
ted superdelegates, party
officials who can vote for
any candidate, if he hopes
to clinch the Democratic
nomination. q
