Page 4 - atoday
P. 4
A4
U.S. NEWSMonday 7 March 2016
Some Republicans see Cruz as best alternative to Trump
JULIE PACE gul. Trump and Cruz are Rubio did pick up a victo- Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas,
AP White House Correspon- now significantly outpac- ry Sunday in Puerto Rico’s speaks during a rally in Mandeville, La. Republican leaders on
dent ing Marco Rubio in the del- primary, his second win of Sunday grappled with the prospect that the best hope for stop-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Re- egate count, further shrink- the 2016 cycle. Democrats ping Donald Trump’s march to the nomination may be Ted Cruz
publican leaders on Sun- ing the Florida senator’s were holding caucuses — the only candidate who causes as much heartburn among
day grappled with the already narrow path to the Sunday in Maine. party elites as the billionaire businessman, if not more.
prospect that the best nomination. Also, Democrats Hillary
hope for stopping Donald If Rubio’s slide continues, Clinton and Bernie Sanders (AP Photo/Max Becherer)
Trump’s march to the nomi- he would be the latest es- were set for a debate Sun-
nation may be Ted Cruz tablishment candidate day night in Flint, Michigan,
— the only candidate who to fall victim to an angry, at which they were expect-
causes as much heartburn frustrated electorate that ed to highlight their differ-
among party elites as the cares little about endorse- ences on economic policy.
billionaire businessman, if ments from party lead- The Democratic candi-
not more. ers or newspaper edito- dates were facing off just
The Texas senator split con- rial boards. Rubio has rolled two days before Michi-
tests with Trump in Satur- out both at warp speed in gan’s primary in a city that
day’s voting, bolstering his recent weeks, but his ap- was already in tough shape
argument that only he can peal with Republican vot- long before residents
defeat the real estate mo- ers is not keeping pace. learned their drinking water
was tainted with lead. Overall, Clinton had at
Clinton, a former secre- least 1,121 delegates to
tary of state and senator, Sanders’ 481, including su-
claims that only she has a perdelegates — members
“credible strategy” for rais- of Congress, governors and
ing wages. In recent days, party officials who can sup-
she has laid out a plan for port the candidate of their
a “clawback” of tax ben- choice.
efits for companies that It takes 2,383 delegates to
ship jobs overseas, using win the Democratic nomi-
the money to encourage nation.
investment in the United In the Republican race, the
States. wary interest in Cruz from
Sanders wrote in Sunday’s more mainstream Repub-
Detroit Free Press that his licans is the latest unex-
rival had supported “disas- pected twist in a nominat-
trous trade deals” such as ing contest where talk of a
the North American Free contested convention or
Trade Agreement and nor- third-party candidate is be-
malized trade relations with coming commonplace.
China that have resulted in “If Ted’s the alternative to
thousands of job losses that Trump, he’s at least a Re-
devastated cities such as publican and conserva-
Detroit and Flint. tive,” South Carolina Sen.
Sanders won Democrat- Lindsey Graham said. While
ic contests on Saturday Graham made sure to note
in Kansas and Nebraska, that it’s “not like I prefer
but Clinton’s overwhelm- Ted Cruz,” he encouraged
ing victory in Louisiana en- Rubio and Ohio Gov. John
abled her to add to her Kasich to “decide among
commanding lead in dele- themselves” whether they
gates to the party’s nation- can be a realistic alterna-
al nominating convention. tive to Trump.q
