*Follow Townhall's primary coverage at 8 p.m.*
Five northeastern states – Pennsylvania, Maryland, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Delaware – will make their mark on the 2016 election on Tuesday, in what pundits have dubbed the Acela Primary. Trump is ahead in each contest in the Republican race, where 172 delegates are up for grabs. For the Democrats, 462 delegates are ready for the taking and Hillary Clinton appears poised to gobble up most of them.
Republican Primary
Donald Trump: Trump’s promise to be more “presidential” has yet to come to fruition. Ignoring the advice of his new campaign chief Paul Manafort, Trump has been ramping up his insults against his opponents, referring to Cruz as “Lyin’ Ted” and Kasich as “1 in 42 Kasich.” He is also accusing Cruz and Kasich of “collusion” for joining forces in an anti-Trump pact and suggesting that if they weren’t in the political realm, they would be arrested. His successful couple of weeks, starting with his win in New York, is likely the source of his emboldened rhetoric. He may get even more boisterous when he sees a new NBC/Survey Monkey poll that shows him hitting 50 percent nationally. Meanwhile, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has officially endorsed him.
Ted Cruz: Cruz is looking forward to Indiana, where he is offering a serious challenge to Trump. The Texas senator noted he is ready to debate in Indiana, challenging the businessman to stop “cowering” in Trump Tower and defend his positions. A new report reveals that Cruz is seriously considering former presidential candidate Carly Fiorina as his VP pick.
John Kasich: Kasich has been confusing voters after the announced anti-Trump partnership with Cruz. He confirmed to the press that he is effectively pulling out of Indiana to pave the way for a Cruz victory, but he is still telling people to vote for him. Which is it, governor?
Democratic Primary
Hillary Clinton: Clinton may have the numbers on her side ahead of Super Tuesday No. 4, but she is still showing signs of frustration toward her opponent Bernie Sanders and his passionate supporters. During a town hall event with MSNBC Monday night, Clinton got very defensive when Rachel Maddow asked her to weigh in on when Sanders may exit the race. His fans suggestions do “not add up,” she said, before noting the distance between the two in terms of votes and delegates. If she is elected, Clinton said she would try to make her cabinet at least 50 percent female.
Bernie Sanders: Pundits already see this week as the end of the road for the passionate progressive, but Sanders and his young supporters have certainly made their mark in the Democratic Party and they are not likely to leave the establishment alone after the election. Clinton wants Sanders supporters to unite behind her candidacy, but some of them are not interested, like this woman who bluntly said Clinton is not trustworthy and that her tendency to be bought off “scares” her. As for whether Sanders would support Clinton if she’s the nominee, he pivoted.
Primary Schedule
Tuesday - D/R primaries in Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Maryland, Connecticut and Delaware