Rubio, Cruz release tax summaries in challenge to Trump

Cruz and Marco Rubio have ratcheted up their attacks on the Republican frontrunner in recent weeks, as the prospect of Trump winning the nomination grows ever more likely.

Appearing on “State of the Union with Jake Tapper”, the Texas senator once again insisted that he is the best alternative to Trump, saying that 65% of GOP primary voters agree that the real estate mogul is not the best candidate to face Clinton.

The super PAC also is paying for Snapchat geo-filters in Virginia that tag Trump as a “con artist” and highlight his now-defunct real-estate investment school when users in the state employ the messaging app. Virginia is among the 11 states holding GOP nominating contests Tuesday, and Rubio was slated to campaign in the state Sunday. Cruz, Ohio Gov. John Kasich and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson remain in the race, although none have the level of support from as many governors and members of Congress as Rubio.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie endorsed Donald Trump on Friday, the highest-profile elected official to back the NY billionaire in his pursuit of the Republican presidential nomination.

The line-up Tuesday includes several Southern states that form the core of Cruz’s desired path to the nomination, but he finds himself trailing Trump everywhere but his home state of Texas.

Interviewed on CNN, Trump said he had “badly” wanted Christie’s backing. “So you’re telling me, a few months from now, you may be charged with tax fraud?”

Cruz said, though, that he would support Trump if he were the Republican nominee for president.

Rubio also called Trump University a “fake school”, and said people went into thousands of dollars of debt to get their picture taken with a cardboard cut-out of the billionaire.

Trump refused to disavow the endorsement of former KKK grand wizard David Duke.

When Trump said the hiring issue occurred decades ago, Rubio responded: “I guess there’s a statute of limitations on lies”.

Trump was asked Friday by journalists how he felt about Duke’s support.

The endorsement by Christie, who early on was considered to be a competitive Republican candidate, was so far the most influential one for the Republican front-runner, as Rubio continued to rack up endorsements from party establishment after the suspension of Jeb Bush’s candidacy.

Separately, Cruz warned conservatives that the “Trump train” could become “unstoppable” if he rolls to big victories Tuesday.

Whatever the polls, Marco Rubio insists that Donald Trump won’t be the Republican presidential nominee.

Trump was hammered at Thursday night’s debate for not releasing his tax returns. Ted Cruz in Iowa; “CONFEDERACY OF DUNCES” after Trump won the Republican South Carolina primary; and “ANTICHRIST!” after the Pope said Trump’s plan to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border was “not Christian”. But he reserved his sharpest comments for Trump, calling the front-runner’s delay “unprecedented in presidential politics”.