OFF TO THE RACES: Jeb Bush endorses Cruz
Breaking overnight: Jeb Bush is endorsing Ted Cruz, calling him a "a consistent, principled conservative who has demonstrated the ability to appeal to voters and win primary contests."
More from POLITICO, which broke the story: "Bush and Cruz sealed the endorsement agreement with a phone call on Monday. “They have kept in touch over the last few weeks and Senator Cruz has been diligent about keeping Governor Bush up to date on his campaign,” a source close to Bush said. The source said Bush “will actively support Senator Cruz’s bid,” but has not yet agreed to a joint appearance with Cruz, or to headline a fundraiser for him."
The big picture from last night's primaries: "Tuesday's primaries and caucuses were a mixed bag as Sen. Bernie Sanders took two states — Idaho and Utah — to Hillary Clinton's lone win in Arizona, and Donald Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz split the Republican races in Arizona and Utah respectively, NBC News projects."
POLITICO calls it "trench warfare" from here on out for the GOP candidates as they try to amass delegates.
The New York Times: "The victories recorded by Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Trump showcased the strengths that have propelled them to huge advantages in their respective nomination fights. Mrs. Clinton once again demonstrated her loyal following among older and nonwhite Democrats, both significant constituencies in Arizona. And Mr. Trump proved his appeal among immigration hard-liners, who make up a large bloc of Republicans in the border state." From the AP: "The victories for Sanders and Cruz kept the front-runners from dominating another election night, but both Clinton and Trump maintained a comfortable lead in the race for delegates who decide the presidential nominations."
From the Wall Street Journal: The next big test for Sanders and Cruz? Wisconsin.
The wake of the Brussels attack, from the New York Times: "Most presidential candidates, with rare exceptions, are tempted to adopt far more hawkish stances on the campaign trail than presidents do in the Oval Office, where they must confront the realities of building coalitions, sorting through conflicting intelligence and pursuing comprehensive counterterrorism programs. But in the current atmosphere, a strike like the one on Tuesday in Brussels rekindles every debate about whether the United States should use diplomacy, isolation or military might."
CRUZ: Ted Cruz is facing outrage for his statement yesterday that the US should "patrol and secure Muslim neighborhoods."
SANDERS: Despite some recent wins, he's still out of striking distance of Clinton's delegate lead.
TRUMP: Late yesterday, he tweeted a threat about spilling the "beans" about Ted Cruz's wife.
From MSNBC's Zachary Roth: "Donald Trump has made his opposition to the flood of big money in politics a centerpiece of his front-running campaign, frequently lamenting the role of super PACs and the outsized sway of wealthy donors like the Koch brothers. But Trump’s top campaign lawyer, veteran Republican election attorney Donald McGahn, was a crucial player in creating the out-of-control campaign finance system that his boss now denounces."