Donald Trump’s Republican rivals were invigorated on Wednesday by the front-runner’s loss in the Wisconsin primary and moved quickly to bolster efforts to block the New York billionaire from capturing the party’s presidential nomination.
Ted Cruz’s emphatic victory in Wisconsin on Tuesday night dealt momentum to his once long-shot bid to force a contested convention in July by blocking Trump from amassing enough delegates to secure the nomination.
The U.S. senator from Texas made the case he is increasingly viewed as the main Trump alternative by Republicans who cannot bring themselves to support Trump as their nominee for the Nov. 8 election.
Allies of Ohio Governor John Kasich, who is positioning himself as a mainstream candidate who could emerge from a contested convention, met in Washington to brainstorm about how they could use obscure procedural rules to their advantage when the party convenes in Cleveland.
One group trying to defeat Trump, who has alarmed many Republican establishment figures with his comments on immigration, Muslims and trade, was hopeful on Wednesday of a cash infusion to fund their efforts.
“Our funders are committed to nominating a principled conservative that can win in November and can help Republicans up and down the ballot,” said Katie Packer, who is leading the anti-Trump Our Principals PAC.
“They understand that this is a long slog now and they are supportive of our mission and strategy. I expect that we will have the funds necessary to execute.”
U.S. Senator Rob Portman of Ohio, former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, lobbyists and congressional staffers were among those who met with Kasich advisers on Wednesday to discuss what one Republican congressional staffer present admitted was the governor’s “long-shot” bid. He has won only his home state in nominating contests so far.
Kasich’s campaign has “a plan going into the convention … and if the convention goes to a brokered convention, they have a legitimate chance,” the staffer said.
END
Be the first to comment