“The Final Five” fielded questions from Anderson Cooper and Wolf Blitzer Monday night on CNN before Tuesday’s Utah and Arizona primaries and the Idaho Democratic caucuses. Justin highlighted the most significant moments from the event, including the candidates’ take on the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. Before the votes are tallied tonight, the presidential candidates each took a moment Tuesday morning to react to the terror attack in Brussels that has so far left 31 dead and almost 200 injured.
Republican Primary
Donald Trump: Trump delivered remarks at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee in Washington, D.C. Monday, where he put forward a controversial proposal for the U.S. to withdraw from NATO. Trump also revealed his foreign policy team, which Politico has dubbed a “quirky mix of advisers.” Polls show Trump trailing in Utah, where he has only amassed 11 percent support. He is, however, ahead in Arizona, where he gained the support of both Sheriff Joe Arpaio and former Gov. Jan Brewer. The rumor mill suggests that the Republican Party has plans to prevent a Trump nomination should the campaign end in a contested convention. Yet, two recent polls prove that Trump is still ahead of his opponents on the national level – by double digits.
Ted Cruz: Cruz offered a strong, yet tempered response to the Brussels attacks Tuesday morning on Capitol Hill, calling on President Obama to cut short his visit to Cuba and book the next available flight to the battered Belgium city. In the same speech, Cruz criticized Trump for his suggestion we withdraw from NATO. Ahead of tonight’s contests, Cruz appears to be way in front in Utah. Yet, John Kasich may play somewhat of a spoiler role and prevent Cruz from getting 50 percent of the vote and taking all 98 of the state delegates. That’s why the senator is warning voters that a vote for Kasich is a vote for Trump. RedState’s Leon Wolf agrees, asking today just how many delegates Kasich will win for the frontrunner.
John Kasich: Pundits predict that Kasich could more or less secure the Republican nomination for Trump if he stays in the race much longer. While the Ohio governor successfully stopped Trump from winning in Ohio, he is poised to help him gain delegates in Tuesday’s primaries. Kasich is also receiving flak this week for noting he would at least meet with President Obama’s new Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland. When conservatives balked at the comment, Kasich clarified that as president he’d of course offer his own nominees and told everyone to take a “chill pill.” In some good news for the governor, a new poll from CBS News revealed that voters prefer Kasich as their second choice after Trump.
Democratic Primary
Hillary Clinton spoke at AIPAC in Washington, D.C. on Monday, where she claimed to be a strong supporter of Israel and criticized Trump for claiming to be “neutral” in the hostile situation between Israelis and Palestinians.
Bernie Sanders did not attend the conference, yet on his website he declared he is the only candidate in the race with “personal ties to Israel.” Meanwhile, the Clinton campaign is facing fallout after her husband, former president Bill Clinton, shockingly bashed President Obama’s last eight years in office as “awful.” Sanders won the Democrats Abroad primary. Yet, Clinton is still seven points ahead of him nationally and has just about double the amount of delegates.
Delegate Count
Primary/Debate schedule:
Tuesday, March 22 – Primaries in Utah, Arizona, American Samoa (R convention), Idaho Caucus (D).