Donald Trump wins Indiana, Ted Cruz drops out of GOP race

Donald Trump all but cemented his nomination as the Republican presidential candidacy by winning Indiana with 53% of the vote, a victory which also resulted in Texas Senator Ted Cruz suspending his efforts “with a heavy heart but with boundless optimism for the long-term future of our nation.”

Trump’s victory gave him over 50 delegates and increased his lead towards the necessary 1,237 delegates to garner the nomination.

“It is a beautiful thing to watch, and a beautiful thing to behold,” Trump said during a victory speech. “We are going to make America great again.”

Now the GOP establishment will rally around Trump:

.@realDonaldTrump will be presumptive @GOP nominee, we all need to unite and focus on defeating @HillaryClinton #NeverClinton

— Reince Priebus (@Reince) May 4, 2016

2011 photo/ Gage Skidmore

“We left it all on the field in Indiana. We gave it everything we’ve got but the voters chose another path,” Cruz said after the loss. “So with a heavy heart but with boundless optimism for the long-term future of our nation, we are suspending our campaign.”

Trump paid tribute to Cruz, maybe in an effort to bring the party together and mend wounds after calling Cruz ” Lyin’ Ted” for much of the campaign. “He is one tough competitor,” Trump said. “He is a smart tough guy.”

Trump quickly turned his fire on Clinton, saying she would be a “poor president.” He also said she “doesn’t understand trade” and lashed out at the “deep carnage” he said had been wrought by the North American Free Trade Agreement that was ratified during the presidency of her husband, Bill Clinton.

Some in the anti-Trump movement said it would fight on as Trump was still short of the delegates needed to secure the nomination.

Katie Packer, the chair of Our Principles PAC, said there is still time for Trump to “continue to disqualify himself in the eyes of voters. We continue to give voice to the belief of so many Republicans that Trump is not a conservative, does not represent the values of the Republican Party, cannot beat Hillary Clinton, and is simply unfit to be President of the United States,” she said in a statement.

photo/ donkeyhotey

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Brandon Jones - Writer and Co-Founder of The Global Dispatch, Brandon has been covering news, offering commentary for years, beginning professionally in 2003 on Crazed Fanboy before expanding into other blogs and sites. Appearing on several radio shows, Brandon has hosted Dispatch Radio, written his first novel (The Rise of the Templar) and completed the three years Global University program in Ministerial Studies to be a pastor. To Contact Brandon email [email protected] ATTN: BRANDON