New Cruz-Kasich alliance to stop Trump is already falling apart

A Kasich supporter in Maryland holds a sign upside-down
(Image credit: Yuri Gripas/AFP/Getty Images)

On Sunday, Ted Cruz and John Kasich announced an agreement to try to stop shared rival Donald Trump from winning the GOP presidential nomination outright, but it appears the devil was in the details, and the details make for a pretty toothless alliance. The plan is for Kasich to cede the pivotal Indiana primary to Cruz and for Cruz to return the favor in Oregon and New Mexico.

But as Cruz said in Indiana on Monday that "Kasich has decided to pull out of Indiana to give us a head-to-head contest with Donald Trump," Kasich told a rally in Philadelphia that his supporters in Indiana "ought to vote for me." Cruz told allies in private talking points not to endorse tactical voting, and Kasich is still holding a fundraiser in Indiana and meeting with Gov. Mike Pence (R), though he has canceled public campaign events in the Hoosier State.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.