Welcome to Breitbart News’s daily live updates of the 2016 horse race.
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All times eastern.
10:52: In Seattle, Sanders says Democrats should caucus tomorrow to let the billionaire class know they can’t always get what they want. He says he is a stronger candidate than Hillary Clinton in a general election. Sanders blasts Clinton for establishing several Super PACs and calls on Clinton to release the transcripts of her speeches to Wall Street.
10:42: Sanders still packing people into Safeco Field for Friday evening Seattle rally:
10:38: Geraldo: National Enquirer More Often Right than Wrong:
On Fox News, Geraldo Rivera said that he worked with Mike Walker, the National Enquirer’s top gossip columnist, for 11 years. He said the Enquirer has been right on Tiger Woods, John Edwards, and O.J. Simpson and when it comes to stories like the #CruzSexScandal, the “National Enquirer is more often right than they are wrong; otherwise there wouldn’t be a National Enquirer.”
8:02: Enthusiastic crowd awaiting Sanders in Seattle at Safeco Field:
8:00: Cruz ending day by attending Good Friday service at Green Bay Church:
7:55: Sanders campaign fundraising off of Clinton/Clooney fundraiser:
7:50: Chris Christie reportedly helped Trump with debate prep:
A member of Christie’s inner circle confirmed the governor took time from his 30th wedding anniversary vacation in Florida to help Trump with “debate prep” at the real estate mogul’s Mar-A-Lago resort in Palm Beach on March 9, a day ahead of the last Republican debate in Miami.
7:25: NBC News: Women in anti-Trump group vow not to sleep with/date any man who supports Trump:
Donald Trump’s support has only grown in the face of near-constant controversy, jaw-dropping gaffes and unrestrained displays of violence and racism at his rallies.
But now a group of women is trying a new tactic to derail the GOP frontrunner — to swear off sleeping with or dating any man who supports the GOP frontrunner.
The “Vote Trump, Get Dumped” movement invites women opposed to Trump to “Join us by wielding your influence.”
“Until Trump is defeated, we don’t date, sleep with, or canoodle with Trump supporters,” a manifesto on its website reads.
6:53: Huge crowds for Sanders in the Pacific Northwest:
6:45: Trump in interview with Piers Morgan:
6:35: MSNBC highlights national left-wing groups that are training anti-Trump protesters:
National organizations among that spectrum are actively providing training, logistical support and network building to local counterparts and affiliates. Organizers are leaning on their own national networks to connect protest groups to each other and with resources when possible. They’ve offered media training for novices and offered insight and tips on how to record and document their protest actions for wider play in the media.
6:15: Documents show Clinton skipped important cyber briefing in 2011:
6:10: Sanders to L.A. Times editorial board: “Older, African American women: I think we found two in the country who voted for us in the South.”
In the South, frankly, we’re getting decimated. No question about it. Older, African American women: I think we found two in the country who voted for us in the South. We’re really getting decimated. But here are the facts, and check ’em out: All over the country among younger people — African American younger people, 30 or under, Latino younger people — we’re doing much better. Latino younger people, we’re now winning, I believe. So I would attribute this to number one, the popularity of Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton with, you know, it’s a brand name. They’ve been known by the African American community for 25 years, uh, and they are popular. Number two, he was, Clinton was the governor of Arkansas in the South, right? They have roots in the South. But I think once you get out of the South, you will find we are doing better with the African American community and much better with the Latino community.
5:53: Cruz in Green Bay:
5:51: Bird lands on Sanders’s podium:
5:49: David Dewhurst (Cruz defeated him in the 2012 Texas GOP Senate primary) endorses Cruz:
5:39: Enquirer denies Trump involvement.
5:14: Trump attacks via retweet.
5:09: The Daily Mail has finally made this the lead story on its website (screen cap above), detailing the involvement of Liz Mair — the consultant behind the anti-Melania Trump ad that kicked off this brouhaha.
4:17: Kasich surrogate goes after Cruz campaign for not following Romney playbook:
4:16: Anyone *else* up for another debate?
3:14: Trump releases personal statement:
I have no idea whether or not the cover story about Ted Cruz in this week’s issue of the National Enquirer is true or not, but I had absolutely nothing to do with it, did not know about it, and have not, as yet, read it.
Likewise, I have nothing to do with the National Enquirer and unlike Lyin’ Ted Cruz I do not surround myself with political hacks and henchman and then pretend total innocence. Ted Cruz’s problem with the National Enquirer is his and his alone, and while they were right about O.J. Simpson, John Edwards, and many others, I certainly hope they are not right about Lyin’ Ted Cruz.
I look forward to spending the week in Wisconsin, winning the Republican nomination and ultimately the Presidency in order to Make America Great Again.
– Donald J. Trump
3:04: Full video of Cruz press conference. Pull quote from The Wrap:
“He’s a man for whom a term was coined for copulating with a rodent,” Cruz said. “Well let me be clear, Mr. Trump may be a rat but I have no desire to copulate with him. And this garbage does not belong in politics.”
3:03: Trump campaign: “absolutely no truth” to Cruz accusations.
2:52: Security preparations for RNC convention:
2:42: Cruz campaign manager:
2:36: Tom Cotton is okay with a Trump presidency.
Pressed on whether he thought Donald Trump could be commander in chief, Cotton responded: “I think he could be the commander in chief.” He said any Republican candidate was preferable to Hillary Clinton.
2:14: Roger Stone, who is quoted in the Enquirer’s story, tells USA Today he “played no role in the placement of the story.”
Stone, reached via email, told USA TODAY:
“Everything I know about these allegations I heard from credible reporters for the MSM,” he wrote in an email. “I played no role in the placement of the story.”
1:53: Official statement from Cruz on Facebook:
I want to be crystal clear: these attacks are garbage. For Donald J. Trump to enlist his friends at the National Enquirer and his political henchmen to do his bidding shows you that there is no low Donald won’t go.
These smears are completely false, they’re offensive to Heidi and me, they’re offensive to our daughters, and they’re offensive to everyone Donald continues to personally attack.
Donald Trump’s consistently disgraceful behavior is beneath the office we are seeking and we are not going to follow.
1:35: Ted Cruz denies National Enquirer allegations of infidelity… says Trump “henchmen” behind story, labels Trump “Sleazy Donald.”
1:27: Hillary Clinton, moderate voice.
1:07: Top-shelf journalism.
1:02: Journalism.
12:58: More taunts.
12:37: Cruz may beat Trump in delegates won from Louisiana’s primary.
12:23: Journalism: “Here’s What Grade School Teachers Said Their Students Think About the Presidential Candidates”
12:21: I’m on pins and needles.
12:11: The all-important Tinder survey.
12:10: Salon writer crunches the numbers on toxic masculinity.
12:09: Cruz still wants a one-on-one debate.
12:08: What a time to be alive.
12:07: NBC News — Trump quietly forming contingency plan for brokered convention:
While Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump continues to publicly dismiss talk of a contested convention, he’s been quietly assembling a team of seasoned operatives to manage the possible battle, NBC News has learned.
The campaign’s strategy is to convert delegates in the crucial 40 days between the end of the primaries and the convention — while girding for a floor fight in Cleveland if necessary. The outreach is already underway.
“We are talking to tons of delegates,” said Barry Bennett, a former Ben Carson campaign manager now leading the delegate strategy for Trump.
12:05: Weekly Standar Exec Editor not digging the Kasichmentum.
11:56: California poll:
11:55: Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly endorses Cruz.
11:54: Cruz in Oshkosh brings up Trump-Heidi feud.
11:41: Rickyyyyyyy.
11:39: Media’s victim blaming could be taking its toll on Trump campaign:
Clinton is clobbering Trump by double digits in five of the six national polls released this week, up from narrow leads she held for most of the campaign. Trump’s slide is being driven by women as the percentage of Americans with an unfavorable opinion of him continues to rise. And pollsters believe the violence at his rallies — not to mention his ongoing misogynistic rhetoric — may be scaring off Republican and independent female voters.
“There’s a possibility that the violence at the rallies has cut into his overall popularity,” said Quinnipiac University Assistant Polling Director Tim Malloy.
Malloy’s recent survey found that 64% of voters believe Trump is very or somewhat responsible for the ongoing violence at his rallies. Just 26% of women had a favorable view of him in that survey, with 67% viewing him unfavorably.
11:28: Everything’s a lot more geographically focused with only one state voting in the next two weeks:
11:24: The GOP must win.
11:11: Three new TV ads hit Cruz’s YouTube account.