Posted on 04/23/2016 8:25:03 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
The anti-Trump movement is at odds with Ted Cruz and John Kasich over how to stop Donald Trump.
In interviews and strategy memos, operatives aligned with the anti-Trump movement have outlined a roadmap for how to block Trump from obtaining the 1,237 delegates needed to win the nomination.
But Cruz and Kasich – both of whom have been mathematically eliminated from winning the nomination outright — are carrying on with no regard for the anti-Trump movement’s proposed pathway to a contested convention.
The differences have stirred tensions between Republicans who share the same goal of stopping Trump, but can’t seem to get on the same page about how to do it.
“The challenge is that when you have more than one non-Trump candidate, those candidates are going to be advocating for what’s in their individual best interests rather than for the group as a whole,” said GOP strategist Doug Heye.
That tension spilled into the open after Tuesday’s primary in New York that saw Trump claim 89 delegates, compared to only four for Kasich and none for Cruz.
The Kasich campaign lashed out at the anti-Trump forces, saying they didn’t do enough to help the Ohio governor compete in districts where Trump was vulnerable.
“The #NeverTrump movement missed opportunities to take delegates away from Donald Trump in more than half a dozen New York congressional districts last night by not engaging in any serious ways,” Kasich strategist John Weaver wrote. “A repeat effort by #NeverTrump forces on April 26 would put Donald Trump on track to win the nomination on the first ballot.”
Those remarks have baffled the anti-Trump groups.
Katie Packer, a veteran of Mitt Romney’s 2012 campaign and the executive director for the anti-Trump group Our Principles PAC, said it had long been clear that Trump was headed for a landslide victory in his home state and that that playing there would not have been a prudent use of resources.
“I can’t believe someone as smart as John Kasich would endorse that memo,” she told The Hill in a Facebook Live event. “I view that as a John Weaver memo, and I think what John Weaver meant to say was, ‘thank you for all you’ve done, because without you we wouldn’t even be in this race today.’ So I just say ‘you’re welcome’ and leave it at that.”
Splits in strategy will now play out in a new round of states.
Pennsylvania and four Atlantic Coast states hold contests on Tuesday, followed by Indiana on May 3.
Never Trump, a grassroots group started by allies of former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.), has endorsed Cruz in some states and Kasich in others, frustrating allies of both candidates.
Indiana is ground zero for the current round of disputes.
There is little polling, but many Republicans believe Cruz has the best shot of defeating Trump in the state. A WTHR-HPI survey released Friday backed that up, with Trump taking 36 percent support over Cruz at 31 percent and Kasich at 22 percent.
The anti-Trump forces are frustrated that Kasich is making a play for the state, worrying that he will suck support away from Cruz and open the door for Trump to win more delegates than he should.
“Don't understand Kasich logic of competing in Indiana,” former Romney strategist Stuart Stevens tweeted. “He can't win but can help Trump, greatly reducing any convention option. Why?”
Never Trump is urging “every Hoosier who doesn’t want Donald Trump be the nominee to vote for Cruz.”
And Packer says there is nothing there for Kasich to play for.
“There’s nothing we see that indicates that Kasich has real opportunities to pick up delegates [in Indiana],” she said. “I don’t really know what their campaign’s objectives [in Indiana] are…but for our purposes - no.”
Still, Kasich this week unveiled his Indiana leadership team and announced he’d be opening two new offices there. He’ll also spend election night in the state on Tuesday while voters are casting ballots along the East Coast in contests that are believed to be a more natural fit for him.
State Sen. Michael Karikhoff (R-Ind.), a co-chairman for Kasich’s campaign in Indiana, said those calling for Kasich to defer to Cruz in Indiana are misguided.
“Gov. Kasich can absolutely win some delegates here,” he said. “People saying he shouldn’t be here aren’t being respectful of the process.”
Cruz is also running at cross-purposes to the anti-Trump movement in some instances.
Never Trump has circled the Maryland primary as the best shot for a non-Trump candidate to overtake the front-runner in the April 26 contests. The group has endorsed Kasich in that effort, saying that “unity is an absolute necessity” to topple Trump in Maryland.
But Cruz is making a play for the state, and his supporters are puzzled that the anti-Trump forces would have thrown their weight behind Kasich there.
According to the RealClearPolitics average, Trump is at 41 percent in the state, followed by Kasich at 26 percent and Cruz at 24 percent.
“I could understand it if there was a clear polling difference but Cruz has just as good a shot,” said state Sen. Justin Ready (R-Md.), who is on Cruz’s leadership team in the state.
“I personally have no problem with Kasich, I like him fine, personally,” he continued. “But here you have a guy who has won only one state out of 35 and is still behind Rubio in delegates, or you have Cruz, who is winning or finishing second everywhere.”
Never Trump spokesman Rory Cooper downplayed the differences. He said voters who are opposed to Trump understand the math and will cast their ballots accordingly.
“The presidential campaigns should be focusing on how to best secure as many delegates as possible and we think that’s largely inline with our thinking of where their strengths and weakness are,” he said. “Hopefully they’ll gravitate accordingly, but we can only control what we control.”
You’re a hypocrite.
Isn’t this the tagline you used to use?
“20 posted on 5/12/2010, 1:03:41 PM by 2ndDivisionVet (Don’t care if he was born in a manger on July 4th! A “Natural Born” citizen requires two US parents!)”
Not only are you a hypocrite, you’re a coward for refusing to answer why it’s different for Cruz than 0b0la.
“Never Trump, a grassroots group started by allies of former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor . . . “
Primaried Cantor huh?
With allies like this, who needs enemies.
Hey,,, "Never Trump Group", you may as well attempt to purchase the last remaining tickets to sail on the Titanic. Cruz and Kasich have already sunk with it and if this is your rendition of uniting anything (which is evidently and DEFINETLY not the party itself), then I DO hope you manage to obtain tickets because you are very deserving of going "down with the ship"
Please accept this “BTTT” !
I spoke to a delegate in my district in PA today. She thinks there won’t be a 2nd ballot bc Trump can be short by up to 200 deleagtes, and enough unbound will vote for him to prevent a fractured party and support the strongest candidate. She feels he is already going to make it.
So why prolong with this never trump craziness? Unless people are so married to the establishment that they’d rather go down with the ship...
I’ve seen people post this and call him out on this tagline before, but I’ve never seen him answer it...If fact it might have been you that posted the other ones I’ve seen. But keep it up, I’d like to know why he’s changed opinions this year...
I noticed your tagline now says, “Either Cruz or Trump...” So at least you’re making progress and moving in the right direction now :) maybe after this tueaday you can change it to Only Trump.
Wow Nacho! That is very interesting stuff about Cruz’s biggest.. (ahem)...supporter on this site. I just promised to stop ragging on him in my last posts so I won’t pile on but like I told the man himself, people are marginalized here by their own actions/words.
Cruz would rather put the convention in turmoil by staying in the race. If he does, he will have succeeded in giving the Democrats the win in November. If he is going to lose, he will make damned sure everyone else loses too.
Continue insulting us with 24/7 anti-Trump diatribes and insults, your opus will be assumed.”
—— Jim Robinson
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3424005/posts
I completely agree.
Cruz needs to stand down.
“Vote for me, I’m the anti-Trump!”
“No! I’m the anti-Trump. Vote for me!”
Glenn Beck has proposed a very effective “final solution” to the Trump problem, one that Cruz has contemplated as well.
I’m surprised more GO-Pees haven’t publicly endorsed Beck’s proposal. But I’m sure they would celebrate if it happened.
My whole family has lost much respect for Beck and even Levin for That matter.
yeah, good ole “Stabby the Clown”
part time blasphemer...
Like the Democrats, they are genocidal maniacs, hell-bent on the continued destruction of the USA.
May they all rot in Hell.
Only one hand can wear the ring of power!
A pair of Gollums fighting over their precious.
It’s over. Time to rally around Trump and defeat Hillary
The one sure thing is that trump is occupying a LOT of febrile minds these days - it's an obsession.
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