The collusion deal between Cruz and Kasich might have been the single most idiotic strategy ever concocted in national politics.
Here’s the atmosphere: Pennsylvania Exit Polls asked Republican Primary voters “Do you feel betrayed by the Republican Party?”
61% said yes.
Going into the five-state Northeast Primaries, Trump was expected to do well. But he wasn’t expected to win virtually every city, county and district in all five states.
He needed the Cruz-Kasich collusion to do that.
What idiot recommended that Cruz and Kasich announce their mutually assured destruction pact 24 hours before the northeast primaries?
All that did was give Trump all day Monday to say, “See, this is rigged. They’re colluding against me.”
Result: Trump voters turned out in force so strongly that even at the district level, Trump won by such margins that the “unpledged” delegates will have a hard time supporting anyone but Trump.
All this for Cruz to convince Kasich to spend no money in Indiana.
And what’s happening in Indiana as a result of the collusion?
A big Hoosier backfire, according to Bloomberg.
“People who were supporting Kasich have been coming into the office to pick up Trump signs,” said Laura Campbell, Republican chairwoman of Hamilton County, whose residents earn more money than anyone else in the state. “People are not happy here with that alliance.”
Oops!
This collusion deal might have just been the final straw that collapses the “anyone but Trump” efforts. It helped Trump win 20-25% more delegates last Tuesday than anyone was predicting, and it might just turn off enough voters to give Trump an Indiana win and a smooth path to 1237 delegates.
“This backroom double-dealing thing that they put on now, that is going to hurt Cruz,” Early said. “Hoosiers like fair.”
Fair indeed.
