On the trail
Donald Trump's recently released plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act would drive up the federal deficit by nearly $500 billion over the next decade and cause 21 million Americans to lose health coverage, according to a new independent analysis. Trump's "Healthcare Reform to Make America Great Again" plan was outlined on his campaign website last month. Its major planks — including repealing Obamacare, deregulating health insurance and offering tax breaks to help Americans get coverage — would likely have a devastating effect, the new analysis from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget concludes.
Ted Cruz is blaming the media for paying too much attention to Donald Trump. Cruz told reporters Monday before a campaign stop outside of Chicago that coverage of the presidential race has been like a telethon for Trump. Cruz said he keeps "waiting for Jerry Lewis to come out and ask for money to help poor Donald Trump."
As Sarah Palin's husband, Todd, recovered in an Alaska hospital from a snowmobile accident, the 2008 vice presidential candidate made a surprise appearance at a Donald Trump rally in Tampa, Fla. "Thank you, guys, for your prayers for my husband who is recovering right now in the ICU after a little wreck on a snow machine," she said after taking the stage.
Hillary Clinton holds a big lead in Florida over Sen. Bernie Sanders, while the race in Ohio remains close, according to new polls released ahead of Tuesday's primaries. In Florida, Clinton leads Sanders by 60 to 34 percent, but faces a tight race in Ohio. Surveys from Quinnipiac University show a clear victory for Donald Trump in Florida, Sen. Marco Rubio's home state. Of likely Republican voters, 46 percent support Trump and 22 percent back Rubio. Trailing them are Sen. Ted Cruz, with 14 percent, and Gov. John Kasich, with 10 percent.
Fox News announced Monday that it would host the next GOP debate, but who will be on stage remains an open question. The debate is set for next Monday in Salt Lake City, with Bret Baier, Megyn Kelly and Chris Wallace as the moderators. But Donald Trump has said that "we had enough debates," and stated in a news conference on Friday that he thought that the CNN debate the night before was the last one.
A protester holding a Donald Trump sign interrupted Sen. Ted Cruz during a rally in Peoria, Ill. The apparent Trump backer yelled at Cruz, "Go back to Canada!" as the crowd booed. Cruz was born in Canada and Trump has questioned whether that disqualifies him for the ballot. Cruz's mother was an American citizen at the time of his birth.
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