Thursday night’s CNN blitz left Hillary Clinton battered and vulnerable as the frontrunner for Tuesday’s crucial New York primary. Democrats have been questioning each other’s credentials for the past week. They’ve been questioning each other’s judgments in a brawl in Brooklyn. Bernie Sanders, who has won eight of the last nine contests and clearly believes he has a shot at the nomination, used the CNN stage to hammer Clinton harder than he ever did in the 2016 race. Meanwhile, as Donald Trump and John Kasich continue to gain ground in the Empire State, Ted Cruz is proving to be his own worst enemy with his comments about “New York values” in January.
Republican primaries
Donald Trump: New York Post endorsed Trump on Friday. He is ahead by an average of 31 points in the state primary. But he’s getting more bad news after former “Apprentice” contestants decided condemn him at a news conference, claiming that the former reality show host did not have the “temperament” to be president.
Ted Cruz:Cruz didn’t get the best of him, which may be a sign that he still hasn’t escaped commentary on “New York values.” adoption at a New York City gala attended by all three GOP candidates on Thursday night. As the senator outlined his plan for president, attendees instead turned their attention to their plates and their neighbors. Before the icy reception, Cruz took to the radio to dismiss New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who had questioned his national security credentials. The senator reminded voters how de Blasio once compared police officers to criminals. Cruz’s campaign then released an ad titled “Great” revealing Trump’s past support for the liberal mayor. When Cruz wasn’t fending off critics, he found time to goof off, joining the funnyman Jimmy Fallon sketch including a telephone conversation with “Trump”.
Jan Kasich:Kasich conquered deputy to former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani on Friday. Earlier this week, the Ohio governor gave a speech in which he refused to engage in his opponents’ war of words and continue to be a positive candidate. On the campaign trail, Kasich has continued to remind supporters that he is the only candidate to beat Hillary Clinton in a head-to-head poll.
Democratic primaries
Hillary Clinton: Clinton was unusually defensive during the final Democratic debate of the 2016 election. Both Sanders and the CNN moderators lambasted her for her Wall Street speeches, her foreign policy record and her husband’s controversial crime bill. Her myriad scandals may explain why her positive ratings fell rapidly since the fall. However, she received the most votes of all candidates in the race.
Bernie Sanders:Most people would agree that the democratic socialist is making a splash in the Democratic primary. Not only is his rhetoric becoming more militant, but his rallies seem to be getting bigger by the day. His event In Manhattan, for example, 27,000 cheering fans gathered Wednesday night. The Vermont senator took a brief break from campaigning to speak at the Vatican on Friday, where he addressed income inequality and climate change.
Number of delegates
Republicans
Trump-744
Cruz-545
Kasich-144
Democrats
Clinton – 1,761
Sanders – 1,073
Primary/Debate Schedule
Highlights of Thursday’s Democratic debate can be seen here.
There are no primaries scheduled this week, but all eyes will be on New York next Tuesday.
