Republican front runner Donald Trump has dominated the primary over the last 10 months since making his announcement last June. Despite this, Trump has stumbled over the last month, which included controversial comments about abortion and nuclear weapons, and a string of primary loses to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.
Trump goes low
The New York primary for the GOP candidates is scheduled for next Tuesday. With 95 delegates up for grabs, the billionaire real estate mogul is looking to bounce back after a loss in Wisconsin last week by picking up a victory in the Empire State.
During his April 12 campaign rally in Rome, New York, Trump took a shot at 2008 Republican nominee Mitt Romney in controversial fashion.
'Like a dog': Donald Trump impersonates Mitt Romney 'choking' in the 2012 election https://t.co/dX9r9HADCA pic.twitter.com/Ny7ULsOIhW
— Business Insider (@businessinsider) April 12, 2016
As reported by the Business Insider on Tuesday, Trump spoke about the importance of the Republican party winning on a national level. "The RNC hasn't won an important election in a long time," Trump told a crowd of supporters, saying President Obama has been in office for "far too long."
"The last election should have been won, except Romney choked like a dog. He choked," Trump said, before mocking Romney with his hands in a choke position.
As the crowd burst into laughter, Trump shouted "I can't breathe, I can't breathe," mocking the last words of African-American Eric Garner, who was choked to death by NYPD officers on the streets of New York in 2014.
Primary status
With 743 delegates, the former host of "The Apprentice" is leading his remaining Republican opponents.
Cruz has provided the biggest challenge, currently with 545 delegates to his name, while Ohio Gov. John Kasich is hanging in the race with 143 delegates. If Trump wants to reach the required 1,237 delegates needed to secure the nomination, a win in New York is the best way to start. According to Real Clear Politics most recent rolling average, Trump holds a commanding double-digit lead in New York, with 54.3 percent support.
Kasich is far behind with 21.3 percent, and Cruz with 18 percent, but if they can continue to pull enough delegates from Trump, the party could be forced to hold a brokered or contested convention this July.