Sen. Ted Cruz won all of Wyoming’s delegates at Sunday’s GOP convention in Casper.
Cruz’s victory cements a dominant performance in the state. Cruz has already won nine delegates in a state-wide voting contest. Marco Rubio won one, as did Donald Trump, when voting was originally held on March 12.
“Grassroots are rising up,” Cruz said in a victory statement. “We had a tremendous show of grassroots support that resulted in a critical victory in today’s Wyoming Republican Convention.”
“This victory continues a momentum shift” away from Trump, Cruz said.
Cruz spoke to the convention members before the voting. Ohio Gov. John Kasich sent a surrogate. Trump representative Sarah Palin canceled her appearance on April 14, in a replay of Trump’s cancelation of a planned address to convention goers in Colorado last weekend after it became clear Cruz would sweep the state’s delegates.
Cruz’s victory adds to his already commanding control of conventions and caucuses.
This week, Trump complained that Cruz’s wins in state conventions suggests a corrupt GOP nominating process.
Cruz said Saturday that is not his aim.
“This is another step in our drive to win a majority of Republicans to be the nominee,” Cruz said.
Cruz is mathematically very unlikely to gain a majority. Donald Trump is the only candidate who likely can, and if he fails to gain 1237 delegates, an absolute majority, it is believed that will trigger a brokered Republican convention this summer.
Some in the party have said that bar may be lower, however.
Trump has 744 delegates, Cruz has 559, and John Kasich has 144.
New York votes next, on March 19, where Trump is heavily favored.
