Why Trump Could Lose Wisconsin

Sensing an impending loss in Wisconsin, Donald Trump is blaming John Kasich for being in his way in the delegate fight and allowing Ted Cruz to score victories. Trump has gone all-in on Wisconsin, holding multiple events a day in the run-up to Tuesday’s vote, but it’s unlikely to be enough. Cruz has united the state’s conservative establishment and tapped into the voting base that has thrice elected Gov. Scott Walker to make him the favorite in the race. Kasich, who initially saw favorable ground in Wisconsin, has now shifted to New York, where he hopes to eat into Trump’s lead in the New York City suburbs.

RNC Chairman Reince Priebus warned of “consequences” for Trump after he reversed his position on the party’s loyalty pledge, saying it could further damage his ability to bring the party together. It was his sharpest public rebuke of the candidate, who has fired barbs at the national party over its complicated delegate rules, and follows Priebus’ private criticism of Trump’s campaign organization. After Trump’s terrible week—which saw him breaking the pledge, his campaign manager charged with battery, multiple flip-flops on abortion and questionable foreign policy positions—more and more Republicans are saying they are willing to use a contested convention to block the front-runner should he fall short of the 1,237-delegate majority on the first ballot.

Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are sparring over debates, publicly sharing and rebutting potential dates for a meeting before the April 19 New York primary. The arguments highlight just how bitter the Democratic primary has become, with both sides trading insults and personal attacks in a race for the nomination that is essentially over. Democratic proportional rules mean that even with Sanders potentially edging Clinton out in Wisconsin and even states beyond, he won’t be able to overcome her pledged delegate lead—let alone overcome her super-delegate haul.

House Speaker Paul Ryan again rules out being a convention “white knight.” President Obama takes another swing at Trump. And Clinton hasn’t yet been called by the FBI.

Must Reads

GOP Chairman Warns Of ‘Consequences’ for Trump Over Broken Loyalty Pledge
More tough words from the party chairman [TIME]

Tempers Flare Behind the Scenes of Democratic Debate Negotiations
TIME’s Sam Frizell on the Democratic debate over debates

Clinton Prepares for Trump’s Insult Machine, Which Has Already Turned Her Way
Seeing Trump attack her stamina, they begin to highlight her work ethic [Washington Post]

Early Missteps Seen as a Drag on Bernie Sanders’s Campaign
A early campaign post-mortem [New York Times]

Donald Trump Faces Great Test Against Wisconsin’s Conservative Political Network
Badger State’s voter-turnout history could bode well for Republican rival Ted Cruz [Wall Street Journal]

Sound Off

“What do the statements you mentioned tell us? They tell us that the person who made the statements doesn’t know much about foreign policy, or nuclear policy, or the Korean Peninsula, or the world generally.” — President Obama in a Friday press conference on Trump’s comments about NATO and nuclear non-proliferation

“I feel sorry sometimes for the young people who, you know, believe this. They don’t do their own research.” — Hillary Clinton on Bernie Sanders supporters who believe she takes money from energy companies

Bits and Bites

Hillary Clinton Says FBI Has Not Yet Contacted Her Over Email Probe [TIME]

Donald Trump: John Kasich Is ‘Taking My Votes’ [Associated Press]

Obama Will Return to Chicago to Make Case for Merrick Garland [TIME]

Paul Ryan Says He’s Not the Fresh Face [Hugh Hewitt Show]

Technology Upgrades Get White House Out of the 20th Century [New York Times]

Could Republican Convention Delegates Be Bought? Legally, Maybe [CNN]

Cruz Tops Trump in North Dakota Delegate Race [Politico]

Operation Trump: Inside the Most Unorthodox Campaign in Political History [New York Magazine]