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 The New York billionaire is in danger of being forced to try to
capture the Republican presidential nomination through a contested
convention because opposition from rivals Ted Cruz and John Kasich
is chipping away at his lead.
As protesters chanted outside and waved signs against Trump, Trump
told the New York state Republican Party's gala that he needs the
momentum that a victory in the state's primary would bring next
Tuesday.
"New York is so important," Trump said, trying to regain the
momentum he lost after Cruz defeated him in Wisconsin last week and
captured all of Colorado's delegates.
Trump identified himself with "New York values" of hard work and
compassion after Cruz charged Trump's version of these values are
basically Democratic positions.
Whether Trump can win the 1,237 delegates he needs for the
nomination is an open question as both Cruz, a U.S. senator from
Texas, and Ohio Governor Kasich, try to block him from getting
enough delegates. They want to extend the fight to a contested
convention in Cleveland when Republicans gather to formally choose
their nominee in July.
In his speech to the group, Kasich tried to raise questions about
Trump without mentioning his name. He said Republican candidates
across the country would be at risk with a candidate with a negative
message at the top of the ballot.
Trump has drawn many protests for policy positions that include
building a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico, deporting 11
million illegal immigrants and banning Muslims temporarily from
entering the United States.
"We risk losing everything from the White House to the courthouse to
the state house if we don't advance a positive, uplifting, unifying
message to this country. That is what we need to do," said Kasich,
who spoke after Trump.
Cruz, speaking after Kasich, continued the theme, pointing to polls
showing Trump losing badly to Democratic front-runner Hillary
Clinton and getting far less support from women and minority voters.
Cruz presented himself as a unity candidate who can bring the
various wings of the party together.
"If we nominate a candidate who loses to Hillary Clinton by double
digits, who loses to women by 20 points, who loses Hispanics by 40
points, who loses young people, we cannot win in the general
(election)," said Cruz.
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Before the event started in the Grand Hyatt hotel near Grand Central
Station, a group of protesters stormed the hotel mezzanine with a
banner that read: “NYC Rejects the Party of Hate.” Eleven of them
were reported arrested.
Outside the hotel, many anti-Trump demonstrators called the New York
billionaire businessman a fascist or white supremacist. They even
teased him about his signature hairdo.
"We Shall Over Comb," read one sign. Others said: "Deport Trump,"
"No allegiance for Trump," and "Black lives matter."
A series of speakers addressed the protest crowd with a loudspeaker.
Police set up portable barriers to keep protesters separated from
traffic and allow pedestrians to pass on busy 42nd Street.
"Although Trump is from here, there is no place for him here," said
one of the speakers, Nabil Hassein, 27, of the group Millions March
NYC.
Kasich scored a victory with the endorsement of former New York
Governor George Pataki, an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican
nomination for the Nov. 8 election.The Trump campaign got some good
news when a Florida prosecutor announced that Trump's campaign
manager, Corey Lewandowski, would not be prosecuted on a misdemeanor
battery charge involving a reporter he was accused of grabbing at an
event last month.
(Additional reporting by Susan Cornwell in Washington; Writing by
Steve Holland; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Peter Cooney)
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