The Republican establishment is now banking on Texas Senator Ted Cruz to take the momentum off frontrunner Donal Trump during the primaries tomorrow, as the unease among a section of Americans grows over the outspoken tycoon's prospects to capture the presidential nomination.
The Republican presidential primaries are scheduled to be held in Arizona, Utah and American Samoa. Trump currently leads the delegate pack with 678, followed by Cruz with 423 in a three man Republican presidential race.
Ohio Governor John Kasich is a distant third with 143 delegates, while Senator Marco Rubio, who had 164 delegates, dropped out after a humiliating defeat in Florida on Tuesday.
As per latest polls, Trump is leading in Arizona where 58 delegates are at stake in a winner-take-all primary, while Cruz is leading in Utah where 40 delegates would be divided as per proportional votes.
The Cruz surge comes after former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney asked his supporters to vote for him. And today Utah Governor Gary Herbert endorsed Cruz, giving the Texas senator support from another key political figure ahead of the presidential caucus in the state tomorrow.
In Washington, Trump spent his day meeting top Republican leaders, in particular from the Congress, and also held a news conference.
After Trump's impressive primary wins in Florida, North Carolina and Illinois last Tuesday the prospect of his becoming Republican presidential nominee has increased, which is being vehemently opposed by the establishment.
With Cruz having the only viable chance to defeat Trump, almost the entire Republican establishment has rallied behind the Texas Senator ahead of the Utah and Arizona elections.
Trump, meanwhile, has put nearly USD 7 million from his pocket to his campaign, thus taking his own personal expense to USD 25 million.
Although he maintains that he is self-funding the effort, his supporters have contributed USD 9.5 million, including USD 2 million in February, The Washington Post reported.
The Wall Street Journal said Trump's nomination could mean a change in the Republican Party, not just in its leadership but also philosophy.
A former Trump adviser told National Public Radio that the real-estate tycoon could become much nastier to the opponents.
Trump's rallies over the weekend was marred by protests.
New reports of anti-Trump rallies have come from other cities as well.
