Subject: First Draft on Politics: Seeking Pockets of Strength in 5 Battles for Survival
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Date: Tue, 26 Apr 2016 07:19:11 -0400

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Tuesday, April 26, 2016

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Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Hillary Clinton at a campaign event at City Hall in Philadelphia on Monday.

Eric Thayer for The New York Times

Seeking Pockets of Strength in 5 Battles for Survival

By ALEXANDER BURNS

Good Tuesday morning.

The five elections on Tuesday – in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island – may offer Hillary Clinton and Donald J. Trump their best chances before June to gain a final, decisive advantage over their opponents.

But Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont has been a tenacious opponent on the Democratic side, and he could find precincts of strength even on a Primary Day that favors Mrs. Clinton. Gov. John R. Kasich of Ohio and Senator Ted Cruz of Texas face even more daunting terrain on the Republican side; for them, this week is a battle for survival.

Here are some of the big questions we’ll be watching:

Can Clinton effectively claim the nomination?

It would be almost impossible for Mrs. Clinton to amass enough delegates on Tuesday night to clinch the Democratic nomination, even including superdelegates. But if she manages a commanding performance across the Northeast, after her landslide in New York last week, she could come close enough to declare the race all but finished.

Do Kasich and Cruz split evenly?

With Mr. Trump favored to win all five states voting on Tuesday, the challenge for his two opponents is once again to hold down his margin of victory and snatch away whatever delegates they can, especially when they are awarded according to the vote in each congressional district.

In theory, that could give Mr. Cruz and Mr. Kasich the opportunity to peel off delegates, even as Mr. Trump wins easily over all. But that game plan didn’t work in New York, where Mr. Trump won in a rout.

Which Trump takes the stage?

The Republican front-runner gave a sober victory speech — by his standards — in New York last week, fueling speculation that he would turn his candidacy in a more conventional direction. Within days, he was back to branding Mr. Cruz as “Lyin’ Ted” and mocking his rival’s Canadian birthplace.

For Mr. Trump to sew up the nomination without a messy spectacle at the convention, he has to convince his Republican critics that he will not trash the party in the general election. That means adopting a different tone on election night – and sustaining it.

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What We’re Watching Today

•

Mrs. Clinton will hold a rally in Philadelphia, and she will be in Indiana to discuss her manufacturing plan and support for the steel industry. Mr. Sanders will be in West Virginia.

•

Mr. Trump will hold an election night event at Trump Tower in New York.

Mark Makela for The New York Times

Ted Cruz-John Kasich Alliance Against Donald Trump Quickly Weakens

By ALEXANDER BURNS, MATT FLEGENHEIMER AND JONATHAN MARTIN

A pact between the two Republican candidates, who agreed to cede states to each other, shows signs of fraying.

A Brother’s Mental Illness Influenced John Kasich’s Views

By TRIP GABRIEL

Mr. Kasich’s brother, Richard, has struggled with depression for decades, influencing the candidate’s views though at times fraying family ties.

Mark Makela for The New York Times

Bernie Sanders’s Supporters Consider Where to Turn if His Bid Fails

By YAMICHE ALCINDOR

The senator’s backers still turn out, eager to hear his message, but a bleaker reality about his prospects is beginning to settle in.

Mark Makela for The New York Times

The 2016 Race

Why Cruz-Kasich Deal Has the Potential to Stop Trump

By NATE COHN

Ted Cruz has a greater opportunity to consolidate the anti-Trump vote in all-important Indiana, the way he did in Wisconsin.

First Draft

Donald Trump Agrees to an Interview With Megyn Kelly, Fox News Says

By JOHN KOBLIN

In a seeming truce to a monthslong feud, Mr. Trump will appear on Ms. Kelly’s prime-time news special on May 17, Fox News announced on Monday.

A Fly on the Wall at The Times: Live With Carolyn Ryan

By INSIDER STAFF

A new live video initiative is bringing readers into the heart of the newsroom.

Economic Trends

How Politics Influences the Stock Market: Not Very Much

By PETER EAVIS

Pundits of all partisan leanings are tempted to use big market movements as support for their favored policies, but the effort often backfires.

Stay tuned throughout the day: Follow us on Twitter @NYTPolitics and on Facebook for First Draft updates.

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‘Queen of Disco’ Is Invoked to Rally Hillary Clinton Supporters

By THOMAS KAPLAN

Senator Tom Carper of Delaware started a call-and-response chant using lyrics from the Donna Summer song “She Works Hard for the Money” at a Clinton rally in Wilmington.

Billionaire Environmentalist to Spend $25 Million to Turn Out Young Voters

By CORAL DAVENPORT

Thomas F. Steyer and his political advocacy group, NextGen Climate, will target at least 203 college and university campuses in seven mostly battleground states.

Trump Tower Acquires a New Allure, Even for New Yorkers

By VIVIAN YEE

Since Donald J. Trump began his campaign for president, the 68-story tower on Fifth Avenue has become a magnet for more than tourists, drawing protesters and the once-scarce city dweller.

North Carolina Restroom Law Becomes a Central Election Issue

By RICHARD FAUSSET

The law, a cultural and economic battle, is now a political one as well, affecting the state’s contests for governor and other major offices.

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What We’re Reading Elsewhere

•

Howard Fineman writes in The Huffington Post that “a visit to Trump Tower” indicates that Mr. Trump is “turning America into a Trump brand.”

•

The New Yorker writes about the dispute between Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Sanders over money in politics, specifically over the fees she received for speeches to Goldman Sachs. Mr. Sanders, The New Yorker argues, “though he might do so less derisively, has a right to raise” these issues, adding that “Clinton’s mistake has been to treat discomfort with money in politics as discomfort with her.”

•

And the actress Lena Dunham writes in Time about why she is supporting Mrs. Clinton.

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