Cruz exits Republican race for president

Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks as his wife, Heidi, listens during a primary night campaign event, Tuesday, May 3, 2016, in Indianapolis. Cruz ended his presidential campaign, eliminating the biggest impediment to Donald Trump's march to the Republican nomination. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks as his wife, Heidi, listens during a primary night campaign event, Tuesday, May 3, 2016, in Indianapolis. Cruz ended his presidential campaign, eliminating the biggest impediment to Donald Trump's march to the Republican nomination. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

INDIANAPOLIS — Texas Sen. Ted Cruz abruptly ended his presidential campaign Tuesday night after falling to Donald Trump in Indiana's primary, a devastating loss that left him with no viable path to the Republican nomination. Trump, considered a fringe candidate a year ago, now is poised to represent Republicans in the fall presidential campaign.

"I've said I would continue on as long as there was a viable path to victory; tonight I'm sorry to say it appears that path has been foreclosed," Cruz told a somber crowd in Indianapolis.

Cruz campaigned aggressively in Indiana, but could not overcome Trump. The billionaire businessman has stunned the Republican Party with his appeal to voters deeply frustrated with Washington and their own party's leaders.

Trump still must win about 200 more delegates to clinch the nomination. But his victory in Indiana — where he picked up at least 45 of the state's 57 delegates — made it all but impossible for Cruz to block him from doing so.

Before Tuesday's results, Cruz had vowed to stay in the race through the final primaries in June, clinging to the possibility that Trump would fall short of the 1,237 delegates he needs and the race would go to a contested convention.

Trump now faces pressure to unite a Republican Party that has been roiled by his candidacy. But whether he can accomplish that remains deeply uncertain.

Trump has won seven straight primary contests and has 80 percent of the delegates needed to secure the GOP nomination. With his victory in Indiana, Trump now has at least 1,041 delegates. Cruz has 565 and Ohio Gov. John Kasich has 152.

Read Wednesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.

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