Government affairs

After presidential candidate Donald Trump’s big win in New York’s Republican primaries, the Cruz and Kasich campaigns have decided to coordinate together in an attempt to throw off Trump. Specifically, Cruz will not be campaigning in Oregon or New Mexico and Kasich is withdrawing his efforts in Indiana.

What does all this mean? Well, it’s complicated to say the least. Both campaigns are hoping for a contested National Republican Convention. By coordinating their campaigns, Cruz and Kasich’s primary goal is to prevent Trump from securing 1,237 delegates by June 7 and to complicate his path to the nomination.

While Cruz has previously declined to coordinate with Kasich, winning Indiana has become crucial in his attempt to prevent Trump’s nomination. Nonetheless, Cruz benefits more from the plan. Indiana awards its delegates on a winner-take-all basis by statewide and district vote, while Oregon and New Mexico award their delegates proportionately. The Indiana primary is also weeks before the ones in Oregon or New Mexico, so Cruz can defect form his part of the bargain after benefiting from Kasich bowing out of Indiana.