It will be interesting to see if Ryan endorses anyone.
Trump brings GOP civil war to Paul Ryan’s backyard
When Donald Trump plants a flag Tuesday in the hometown of House Speaker Paul Ryan, he’ll be sounding the opening shot of a weeklong battle for Wisconsin — a symbolic beachhead in his fight to vanquish the Republican establishment.
“I think he may be trying to make a point there,” said Congressman Reid Ribble, a Republican who has vowed not to support Trump even if he becomes the GOP nominee. “I don’t think it’s going to go over that well with Paul Ryan supporters.”
Indeed, said Ted Kanavas, a former state senator from Brookfield who served as Mitt Romney’s Wisconsin campaign chairman in 2012, “A lot of people perceive it as a punk move.”
Trump has made a habit of holding rallies in his rivals’ backyards, and this one was announced hours after Ryan condemned Trump’s rhetoric — without naming the businessman — in a speech last week. Trump’s visit comes on the heels of a campaign stop here by Ted Cruz as their campaigns duel for the delegates at stake in Ryan’s district. An automated poll released by 0ptimus on Monday showed Trump with 30 percent percent support in Wisconsin’s First Congressional District, virtually tied with Cruz at 28 percent. John Kasich registered 26 percent support, with 16 percent of likely Republican primary voters undecided.
Trump’s primary campaign in Wisconsin and the case for his general election viability rest on his ability to turn out people who would otherwise stay home or vote Democratic in Rust Belt cities like Janesville, the Democratic-leaning seat of Democratic-leaning Rock County. “It’s the type of community Mr. Trump normally does very well in, a working class type of area; and I think Mr. Trump’s message is going to resonate,” said Trump’s campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski...
...“This is make or break for Ted Cruz,” said Corey Lewandowski, Trump’s campaign manager, in an interview Monday. “If he loses Wisconsin, the race is mathematically over. He’s eliminated.”
But the rest of the party does not intend to cede this ground to Trump. On Tuesday morning, Walker is expected to endorse Cruz in a radio appearance with conservative host Charlie Sykes. On Monday, Sykes hammered Trump in a contentious interview in which the New York billionaire said he was unaware that Sykes has been a vocal critic of his candidacy.
Anti-Trump Republican groups are also hotly contesting the state.
“We believe we have a real shot at stopping him in Wisconsin, and if we do he can't get to 1,237,” said Katie Packer, a former top aide to Mitt Romney and the founder Our Principles PAC, referring to the number of delegates Trump would need to win the nomination at the Republican National Convention. “So it's important.”...
Read more:
http://www.politico.com/story/2016/03/trump-wisconsin-donald-trump-221314#ixzz44IK64cBA
