And then there was one. Ohio governor John Kasich plans to suspend his presidential campaign, leaving Donald Trump as the only remaining Republican candidate, multiple outlets including NBC News and The New York Times confirmed on Wednesday, May 4.
Earlier on Wednesday, Kasich canceled a press conference in Washington, D.C., and his campaign announced he would be making a statement at 5 p.m. in Columbus, Ohio. The Kasich campaign previously denied rumors that he would withdraw in a Facebook post on Tuesday, May 3, but it looks like plans may have recently changed. “Tonight’s results are not going to alter Gov. Kasich’s campaign plans. Our strategy has been and continues to be one that involves winning the nomination at an open convention,” the post said.
Kasich was the only candidate left standing against Donald Trump in the GOP presidential primary race after Senator Ted Cruz of Texas suspended his White House run on Tuesday night. Trump won big in Indiana on Tuesday, taking all 57 of the state’s Republican delegates, according to NBC, and in response, Cruz announced he would be dropping out.
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus tweeted on Tuesday that he considered Trump the “presumptive nominee,” meaning that the party will stand behind the controversial candidate.
Now with Kasich’s departure, Trump will likely take the Republican nomination and go up against the Democratic candidate — either Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders — in the general election.