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Trump is GOP′s presumptive nominee after last rival abandons race | News | DW | 04.05.2016 Trump is GOP's presumptive nominee after last rival abandons race

Republican John Kasich, the last rival for front-runner Donald Trump, has announced the end of his presidential bid. His departure effectively clears the way for Trump's path to the GOP nomination. Donald Trump, a real estate tycoon and realty TV star, came a step closer to becoming the Republican Party’s presumptive presidential nominee on Wednesday after his last remaining rival for the nomination abandoned the race.

Ohio Governor John Kasich announced the end of his campaign in a statement on Wednesday afternoon from his home state, pulling the plug on his long-shot candidacy.

Even before word spread that Kasich was dropping out, Trump had already begun to pivot towards the general election campaign.

"I am confident I can unite much of" the GOP, Trump said Wednesday on NBC's "Today Show," as several prominent Republicans said they'd prefer Democrat Hillary Clinton over the TV celebrity.

In a shot at his critics, Trump added: "Those people can go away and maybe come back in eight years after we served two terms. Honestly, there are some people I really don't want."

An offensive candidate?

The bombastic billionaire has offended or alienated many, including those in his own party, for denigrating women, Latinos and Muslims.

Watch video 01:08
01:08 mins. Cruz ends presidential bid after Indiana loss

Talk of a brokered Republican convention in Cleveland this summer persisted until earlier this week.

But that possibility evaporated Tuesday night when Trump won a convincing victory in the largely conservative Midwestern state of Indiana, making it all but certain that he would collect the 1,237 delegates needed to clinch the nomination during the nine remaining primaries.

With some 435 delegates still to be claimed, Trump needs to win only 190 to clinch the nomination.

The New York real estate mogul won 53.3 percent of the vote in Indiana, trouncing Senator Ted Cruz's 36.6 percent and Kasich's 7.6 percent, according to unofficial results. Cruz’s dismal showing compelled him to abort his campaign earlier Wednesday.

With no clear obstacles standing between Trump and the GOP's formal nomination this summer some party stalwarts, who refuse to support Trump, are exploring the possibility of a third party candidate for November. So far, no names have been put forward.

As a current governor and former US congressman Kasich brought considerable political experience to the campaign, but he struggled throughout to connect with conservative voters in a year when many are hankering for an anti-establishment candidate.

bik/sms (AP, Reuters)


Trump powers toward victory in Indiana Republican primary

The Republican front-runner has scored another key victory over rival Ted Cruz, according to projections by US TV networks. Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders were reported to be too close to call in the Democratic vote. (04.05.2016)

US presidential hopeful Ted Cruz ends bid for Republican nomination

Ted Cruz has said he is ending his presidential campaign after suffering a defeat to Donald Trump in Indiana. Bernie Sanders is projected to have won the Democratic vote. (04.05.2016)

Opinion: Why a Republican nominee Donald Trump is a good thing

With Ted Cruz bowing out after a blistering defeat in Indiana, Donald Trump will be the Republican Party’s presidential candidate. That’s hard to swallow, but it’s good for both democracy in the US and the GOP. (04.05.2016)


 Russian trolls targeted black US voters in 2016, says report 18.12.2018

Russia's Internet Research Agency employed fake accounts to turn African-American voters against Hillary Clinton and depress their turnout, a study has found. The NAACP has called for a week-long boycott of Facebook. Donald Trump appoints Mick Mulvaney as acting chief of staff 15.12.2018 Donald Trump names William Barr as next attorney general 07.12.2018

