Luke Skywalker
Super Moderator
{vb:raw ozzmodz_postquote}:
A supporter holds up a sign for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Boca Raton, Fla., Sunday, March 13, 2016.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>(Photo: Paul Sancya, AP)
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Donald Trump<span style="color: Red;">*</span>called on Republicans to rally around his candidacy Wednesday, and said there could be "riots"<span style="color: Red;">*</span>if the party somehow conspires to deny him the presidential nomination after<span style="color: Red;">*</span>he remains way ahead in convention delegates.
"I don't think you can say that we don't get it automatically," Trump told CNN after a night of wins in Florida, Illinois, and North Carolina. "I think you'd have riots. I think you'd have riots. I'm representing many, many millions of people."
Trump's remaining opponents did not seem inclined to give him the nomination.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>John Kasich predicted that his win in Ohio would propel him to victory in an open convention, while Ted Cruz said he is looking for a one-on-one showdown with the New York businessman.
In any event, the Republicans now have only a three-candidate race: Florida Sen. Marco Rubio pulled out Tuesday night<span style="color: Red;">*</span>after he lost his home state big to Trump.
"I'm going to be the nominee," Kasich told NBC's Today show.
Cruz, currently second to Trump in terms of Republican delegates,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>began appealing to Rubio's followers to join an anti-Trump coalition,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>and also suggested that Kasich exit the race because it is mathematically impossible for him to win the GOP nomination.
"The longer Kasich stays in the race, the more it benefits Trump," Cruz said. "Unlike Kasich, our campaign, number one, has beaten Donald Trump over and over and over again."
The candidates hit the talk shows a day after Trump won primaries in Florida, Illinois, and North Carolina. The New York businessman had a slight lead over Cruz in Missouri, but news networks have not called the race because absentee and provisional ballots remain to be counted.
In the wake of Tuesday's primaries,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Trump currently<span style="color: Red;">*</span>leads in convention<span style="color: Red;">*</span>delegates with 621, about half of what he needs to clinch. according to the Associated Press. He is followed by Cruz (396), Rubio (168) and Kasich (138).
Anti-Trump Republicans are hoping to block the businessman<span style="color: Red;">*</span>at the party convention in July, seeking to deny him a majority of delegates on the first ballot. Many delegates who are bound to a particular candidate on the first ballot become free agents on subsequent votes.
Kasich predicted that an open convention would come to pass because "nobody is going to have enough delegates." Kasich<span style="color: Red;">*</span>also told NBC that neither Trump nor Cruz can win a fall election against the Democrats, and he can.
"They can't come in to Ohio with the philosophy they have and win," Kasich said. "You can't win Ohio, you can't be president."
Trump predicted he would rack up a majority of delegates before the convention opens July 18 in Cleveland.<span style="color: Red;">*</span><span style="color: Red;">*</span>Even if he is a little short, Trump said<span style="color: Red;">*</span>he should still be awarded<span style="color: Red;">*</span>the nomination if, as expected, he has a large delegate<span style="color: Red;">*</span>lead over competitors.
Otherwise, he told CNN, "I think bad things would happen."
Trump, appearing on ABC's Good Morning America,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>also criticized reports that Republicans who oppose his candidacy are talking about running their own candidate in the fall election.
"A<span style="color: Red;">*</span>third-party guarantees Democrats will win," Trump told ABC.
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