2016 RACE ROUNDUP: Apparently Neither of the Dem Candidates Are ‘Qualified’

Cruz earned a huge win in Wisconsin Tuesday, but the road ahead doesn’t look quite as smooth. Polls out of New York and Maryland show him running in third place. Can he pull off an upset and keep his momentum intact? Meanwhile, the Democrats are busy trying to disqualify each other from running.

Republican Primary

Donald Trump: Trump had a bad Tuesday night, escalating in a blistering campaign response that even insinuated Cruz was guilty of a federal crime. The businessman’s New York prospects, however, may put him in a better mood. At a campaign rally in Long Island on Wednesday, Trump gave a nearly 40-minute speech to over 10,000 supporters. A new Monmouth University poll, meanwhile, has him breaking the 50 percent barrier in the Empire State. More good news awaits Trump in Maryland, where early polling has him ahead by 10 points.

Ted Cruz: Cruz may be coming off a convincing win in Wisconsin, but he’s already having issues in New York, where the media is reminding voters about his unflattering “New York values” comments. The Texas senator’s campaign event in the Bronx attracted just a dozen voters, a few of whom were protesters. Rep. Peter King (R-NY) isn't exactly helping his case, either. On Thursday he called Cruz a "phony" and said that any New Yorker who votes for him needs to "have their head examined." Interestingly, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who is friends with Trump and has hinted at an endorsement, is planning to meet with Cruz this week. The senator is expected to pick up the majority of delegates this weekend at the Colorado GOP convention, which Trump has decided to skip.

John Kasich: The Ohio governor took a break from the presidential campaign trail this week to give his sixth State of the State address. Reporters say he avoided campaign rhetoric and offered little in the way of policy proposals. He had a successful town hall in Syracuse, New York Friday, where he had to move to a bigger venue after receiving more RSVPs than expected. In the above-mentioned Monmouth University poll from New York, Kasich beats Cruz for second place.

Democratic Primary

Hillary Clinton tried to ride the New York subway on Thursday. It didn’t go so well. She is, however, hanging on to a double digit lead in the Empire State ahead of the April 19 primary. She also has a big lead in Maryland, according to a new Washington Post-University of Maryland poll. When Clinton wasn’t trying to blend in with “everyday Americans” on the New York transportation system, Clinton was questioning Bernie Sanders’ qualifications for president. She told the “Morning Joe” hosts this week that Sanders hadn’t done his homework on his domestic policy proposals and that his supporters should question his leadership ability.

Two can play at that game. Bernie Sanders shot back at Clinton and insisted she is the one who isn’t qualified. Her millions of dollars in donations from her Super PAC make her unfit to lead, he declared at a New York rally on Wednesday.The senator also said she should apologize for the Iraq War.

The tenser the competition gets, the nastier the rhetoric.

Delegate Count