Here's why Donald Trump wants John Kasich out of race
Donald Trump is making that assertion. But it's hard to tell whether Kasich is hurting him 鈥� or perhaps even helping.
Republican presidential candidate John Kasich speaks during a campaign stop at Hofstra University Monday in Hempstead, N.Y.
Julie Jacobson/AP
Donald Trump thinks the Republican National Committee should kick John Kasich out of the presidential nomination race.
It鈥檚 unfair that Ohio Governor Kasich is still competing, since he has no mathematical chance of winning the GOP nomination outright, Mr. Trump said Sunday in Wisconsin.
鈥淜asich shouldn鈥檛 be allowed to continue, and the RNC shouldn鈥檛 allow him to continue,鈥� Trump told reporters during a visit to a diner.
The billionaire reality show star said as much to RNC chief Reince Priebus during their meeting last week. Trump complained that Kasich鈥檚 continued presence hurts him disproportionately, since more Kasich voters have Trump as their second choice than Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.
鈥淚f I didn鈥檛 have Kasich, I automatically win,鈥� Trump said.
Is this true?
Strictly speaking, no. Trump鈥檚 not on the verge of an automatic victory if it鈥檚 suddenly just him and Senator Cruz. His path to the 1,237 delegates necessary to win the nomination is a narrow one under any circumstances. He might reach that goal. He might not.
But some experts do think Trump鈥檚 chances of victory would improve if Kasich drops out.
This isn鈥檛 because the Ohio governor is favored to win any upcoming states. Nor is it strictly because his voters might migrate to Trump if he dropped out.
It鈥檚 primarily because a few states that haven鈥檛 yet voted award their delegates proportionately, and Kasich could win a precious few of those supporters. Seventy-seven, to be more precise. That鈥檚 the number of delegates the data site FiveThirtyEight estimates Kasich might yet pick up, considering district demographics and his poll numbers.
鈥淭hey may not sound like much, but these 77 delegates could be the difference between Trump reaching 1,237 and falling short,鈥� late last month.
But that鈥檚 only one view. Others think Trump is actually helped by Kasich remaining in the race. That鈥檚 because it splits the anti-Trump vote. Allowed to compete with Trump directly, Cruz might win more states outright.
鈥淭rump has benefited immensely from the fractured Republican field,鈥� last month.
So there you have it. Trump may sincerely believe that Kasich is blocking him, but that remains unproven.
One thing is clear, though: It鈥檚 rich for Trump to call on the RNC to arbitrarily expel Kasich. He鈥檚 the one who鈥檚 warned the Republican Party against using its powers to influence the race. Of course, that鈥檚 because he doesn鈥檛 want them to try and 鈥渟teal鈥� the election from him. But strong-arming the person now in third place? That鈥檚 OK, apparently.