Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton have double-digit leads ahead of their respective parties’ April 19 presidential primary contests in New York, new polling shows.
Mr. Trump had a 33-point, 54 percent to 21 percent lead, over Ohio Gov. John Kasich among likely GOP primary voters in an NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll released Monday. Sen. Ted Cruz was in third at 18 percent.
There are 95 GOP delegates at stake in New York. The three delegates up for grabs in each of the state’s 27 congressional districts become winner-take-all if a candidate breaks 50 percent in a district, and remaining statewide delegates also become winner-take-all if a candidate can win an overall majority.
Nearly two-thirds of likely GOP voters — 64 percent — said the Republican party should nominate Mr. Trump for president if he heads into the July convention with the most delegates but not enough to win on the first ballot. And if the party decides to nominate someone other than Mr. Trump, 59 percent said the nominee should be someone who ran in the primaries this year.
On the Democratic side, where 291 delegates are in play, Mrs. Clinton led Sen. Bernard Sanders by 14 points, 55 percent to 41 percent, among likely Democratic voters.
Democrats gave Mrs. Clinton a slight edge on who they think is the “real New Yorker,” siding with her over Mr. Sanders by a 42 percent to 39 percent margin. Mrs. Clinton was twice elected to represent New York in the U.S. Senate, while Mr. Sanders was born in Brooklyn.
In head-to-head match-ups, Mrs. Clinton beat Mr. Cruz by 30 points, Mr. Trump by 29 points, and Mr. Kasich by 15 points.
Mr. Sanders beat Mr. Cruz by 37 points, Mr. Trump by 33 points and Mr. Kasich by 22 points.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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