Republican front-runner Donald Trump called for GOP rival John Kasich to withdraw from the presidential race, saying that the Ohio governor’s presence in the contest is pointless and hurting Trump’s chances of handily winning the nomination.
“He’s taking my votes,” Trump said Sunday while campaigning in Milwaukee, according to the Associated Press.
The AP reported that Trump argued in a recent meeting with the Republican National Committee in Washington that by remaining in the race, despite no chance of winning enough delegates before the party’s convention, Kasich was hurting Trump’s own candidacy.
Kasich, who has only won his home state of Ohio, has repeatedly said in interviews that he plans to stay in the race and is banking on an open convention wherein he, Trump and Ted Cruz would be expected to re-compete for delegates to become the nominee.
Trump is the favored front-runner with 736 delegates. Cruz has 463. Kasich is in a distant third with 143. Kasich’s only primary win came in his home state of Ohio. But he argues he can do well in upcoming votes in northeastern states.
To win the nomination, a candidate needs 1,237 delegates before the convention. Wisconsin’s primary is on Tuesday.
