Though Trump has not formally secured the 1,237 delegates he needs to win the nomination -- and likely won't until June -- there is no serious opposition left to block his path.
His victory amounts to a extraordinary takeover of the Republican Party by a candidate with no political experience. Along the way, he eviscerated the GOP's most accomplished presidential field in a generation and captured the Zeitgeist of a party in which grass roots voters harbor deep ill will toward establishment elites.
Cruz tried everything to pull off a last-ditch win in Indiana, including the unusual move of selecting Carly Fiorina as his running mate even though he wasn't the nominee. He also forged a pact with John Kasich that would allow him to focus on Indiana while the Ohio governor would devote his time to later states.
We gave it everything we've got but the voters chose another path," Cruz said. "So with a heavy heart but with boundless optimism for the long-term future of our nation, we are suspending our campaign."
He signaled that he was nearing the end Tuesday during an appearance on Dana Loesch's radio show, stating that his campaign had "left it all on the field."
With 97% of the vote in at nearly 12 a.m. ET, Trump was in the lead with 53.2% while Cruz was at 36.7%. Kasich was at 7.6%.
Following Cruz's speech, Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus tweeted Trump is now the presumptive nominee and encouraged the party to "unite and focus on defeating" Hillary Clinton.
As Donald Trump captures the mantle of presumptive Republican nominee, a new poll finds he begins his general election campaign well behind Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton.
The new CNN/ORC Poll, completed ahead of Trump's victory last night, found Clinton leads 54% to 41%, a 13-point edge over the New York businessman, her largest lead since last July.
Clinton is also more trusted than Trump on many issues voters rank as critically important, with one big exception. By a 50% to 45% margin, voters say Trump would do a better job handling the economy than Clinton would.
Trump's path to the GOP nomination became clearer after his win in the Indiana Republican primary Tuesday led to his primary rival, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, to drop out of the race. While Clinton lost Indiana to her primary rival, Sen. Bernie Sanders, the former secretary of state has a broad lead among delegates.
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is an American politician and a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in the 2016 election.
Mrs Clinton said
As president, I'll work to ensure every child—from every ZIP code—has access to a world-class education, including access to high-quality preschool. We need to strike the right balance on testing—with fewer, fairer and better tests for elementary and secondary school students. And we must support teachers with the training and resources they need.
Mr Trump could be facing off against Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state and first lady.
She is within sight of clinching the Democratic nomination, a goal which eluded her in the 2008 race when she lost out to Barack Obama. The Democratic contender needs backing from 2,383 delegates to get the nomination.
Mrs Clinton tweeted after Mr Trump's latest success: "Donald Trump is the presumptive GOP (Republican National Convention) nominee. Chip in now if you agree we can't let him become president"
The two candidates will mount whirlwind tours of the nation to press their case to voters. There will also be three key televised presidential debates in the last six weeks before the nation goes to the polls.
Donald John Trump is an American businessman, politician, television personality, author, and the presumptive nominee of the Republican Party for President of the United States in the 2016 election.
Mr Trump said
We will make America great again.
Once dismissed as a fringe contender, businessman Donald Trump now is all but certain to lead the Republican Party into the fall presidential campaign against Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton — a stunning political triumph for a first-time candidate whose appeal to frustrated voters was widely underestimated.
On Wednesday morning, Trump revealed in a broadcast interview that he'll ‘‘probably go the political route’’ in naming a vice presidential running mate, saying he’s inclined to pick someone who can ‘‘help me get legislation passed.’’ Trump didn’t identify any of the names under consideration.
Bernard "Bernie" Sanders is an American politician and the junior United States senator from Vermont. He is a candidate for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in the 2016 election.
Mr Sanders said
Bernie Sanders said Tuesday that his primary bid against Hillary Clinton was far from over, pointing to his victory in Indiana and strength in upcoming races as a sign of his durability in the presidential campaign.
"I know that the Clinton campaign thinks this campaign is over. They're wrong," Sanders said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press from New Albany, Indiana. "Maybe it's over for the insiders and the party establishment but the voters today in Indiana had a different idea."
Rafael Edward "Ted" Cruz is an American politician and the junior United States Senator from Texas. He was a candidate for the Republican nomination for President of the United States in the 2016 election.
Mr Ted Cruz said
Jobs, growth, and opportunity will reignite promise for millions of American families who are currently being crushed by the Obama economy. Under the Cruz Simple Flat Tax, all income groups will see a double-digit increase in after-tax income and the current seven rates of personal income tax will collapse into a single low rate of 10 percent.
Ted Cruz bowed out of the Republican presidential race Tuesday following a loss to Donald Trump in Indiana, clearing the path for the real estate mogul to clinch the GOP nomination.
Bernie Sanders Wins Indiana Primary in Surprise Upset.
Mr Sanders said
As President, I will: make tuition free at public colleges and universities, lower student loan interest rates for current and future borrowers, ensure all children have access to a quality education by fighting to ensure equal access to educational resources, and make childcare and pre-K universal and affordable.
In the Democratic race, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders pulled a surprise upset in Indiana by winning over 52 percent of the vote.
last September, all four Chili Peppers signed a letter of endorsement posted on the senator's website. "Bernie Sanders is the only remotely reasonable candidate for President of the United States," bassist Flea tweeted the previous month.
Members of Vampire Weekend join Killer Mike (an outspoken Sanders supporter), Foster the People, Josh Hutcherson and more at "Students for Bernie," a Sanders rally on January 30th at University of Iowa Field House. The event was free and open to the public.
Republicans were initially skeptical of Trump, but he persuaded them; they now prefer him by a wide margin (though Democrats prefer Clinton by a wider one). Independents, however, moved quickly toward Trump and then more slowly away from him.
Teenager takes life-sized Bernie Sanders cardboard cut-out as her prom date.
This Bernie Sanders Cardboard Cutout Won Best Prom Date 2016.
US election:
Clinton v Trump
Mr Trump may have the ability to reach Americans not normally inclined to vote Republican - blue-collar workers and the economically distressed. The question is whether those gains will make up for losses within the Republican ranks and what could be massive turnout from elsewhere in the Democratic Party.
The Clinton campaign has already begun hammering Mr Trump on his sometimes impetuous personality, late-night tweets and all.
She still needs only win around a third of the remaining at-large Democratic delegates to secure the nomination.
It's a prize that eluded her in 2008 and is now in sight. But if she dreamt about being the Democratic standard-bearer for the past eight years, there's no way she could possibly have imagined the nature of her opponent.
Johnny Cash One Piece At A Time
https://youtu.be/rWHniL8MyMM
