May 5, 2016 - If New York Businessman Donald Trump is going to become president he will apparently have to do it without the Bush family. Both former President George H.W. Bush and his son former President George W. Bush have released separate statements that they will not participate in the up coming presidential election.

This is a change from previous elections when both former presidents had supported their parties presidential nominees.

In this year primaries former Florida Governor Jeb Bush had been a frequent recipient  of criticism from Trump.

 May 5, 2016 -  It's time to put the John Kasich campaign buttons into a museum , as the two term Ohio Governor has ended his White House bid. Kasich having  won only one primary for his home state of Ohio had stayed in the race long after it seem possible for him to win the Republican nomination accept through the possibility of a contested convention. The likely hood of a contested convention had evaporated after New York Businessman Donald Trump won the Indiana primary on Tuesday. Trump's win ensured that he would be the Republican nominee on the first ballot at the Republican National Convention set for  July in Cleveland Ohio.

Though Kasich came in second in the New Hampshire primary , he was never able to secure any primary victories accept in Ohio.

As no Republican has ever won the White House without winning Ohio, its probable that Kasich will be on the short list of vice presidential running mates for Trump. Kasich has already said that he does not want to be vice president, but this it typically the answer given when a politician is asked publicly asked if he or she has any interest in running for vice president.

 May 4, 2016 - It's time to fire up the Donald Trump campaign button factories into overdrive , as the New York Billionaire with his crushing victory over Senator Ted Cruz of Texas is now a lock for the Republican Party 2016 Presidential nomination.

It was a history making night as Trump scored 53% of the Indiana vote to 36% for Cruz and 7% for Ohio Governor John Kasich. Indiana was seen as a must win for Cruz who in his concession speech made the stunning  announcement that he was ending his White House bid which effectively made Trump their party's nominee. Cruz had fought had to win in Indiana even going so far as naming former CEO Carly Fiorina as his vice presidential running mate.

Trump ended the night with 1,047 delegates which puts him now just 190 short of officially locking in the nomination of the 1,237 needed. With Cruz now gone, Trump is on a path to easily secure 1,400 delegates or more by the end of the primary season in June.

For Trump's likely Democratic opponent former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is was a disappointing night as Senator Bernie Sanders scored an upset win in the Indiana primary. Sanders won 53% of the vote to 47% for Clinton.  Despite the win its unlikely to change the dynamics of the race as Clinton is far ahead in the all important delegate count.

Clinton now has 2,202 delegates to 1,400 for Sanders. With the winner of the Democrat nomination needed 2,382 delegates, Clinton is now just 180 delegates away from being the nominee. While Sanders will still continue to compete for the nomination, Clinton has increasingly been turning her attention to Trump and the November general election.

With it now seeming it's a near certainty that it will be a Clinton vs Trump race, a new poll out today shows the former Secretary of State with a double digit lead. In the poll taken before the Indiana primary it finds Clinton with the support 54% of those polled to 41% for Trump.

 April 10, 2017 - While a string of defeats  have attempted to up end the presidential front runners, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for the Democrats and Businessman Donald Trump for the Republicans, the upcoming Empire State state primary on April 26 gives both candidates a chance to escape form New York with a much needed win.

For Trump a return to his home state of New York, gives him the opportunity to blunt the momentum of Senator Ted Cruz of Texas who defeated Trump in the April 5 Wisconsin Primary by a wide margin. Current polling has Trump leading in New York with 56% followed by Cruz at 22% and Ohio Governor John Kasich with 17%.

In the all important delegate count Trump leads with 743 followed by Cruz with 532 and Kasich with 143.

On the Democratic side, Clinton has lost seven of the last contests to Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont. For Clinton it is also a return to her home state where she was twice elected U.S. Senator and served in that position from 2001 to 2009. For Sanders it is also  a homecoming of sorts as he was born in Brooklyn.

Currently polling for the New York Democratic Primary has Clinton out in front with 56% followed by  38% for Sanders. Despite the rough patched in the recent caucuses and primaries , Clinton has a commanding lead in the delegate race. Clinton has 1,756 delegates to 1,068 for Sanders.