The Trail 2016: Hot potato

by Lisa Hagen - 04/21/16 6:35 PM ET

Welcome to THE TRAIL 2016, your daily rundown from The Hill on all the latest news in the White House, Senate and House races.

The Republican National Committee’s rules committee took up the controversial issue of whether to change the rules regarding how a nominee is selected at a contested convention, and decided not to change anything. Adhering to RNC Chairman Reince Priebus’s suggestion, the rules issues will be tossed into the laps of convention rulemakers in July.

One potential rule change that was cast aside was one that could have made it harder for a “white knight” candidate to be nominated and take on GOP hopefuls Donald Trump and Ted Cruz. But committee members adjourned with no rules changes to prevent angering voters in the months leading up to the convention.

The GOP front-runner has been critical of the primary process and has lashed out when Cruz was awarded more delegates in states Trump won. But now the real estate mogul and political novice is working to improve his inside game.

Trump’s convention manager, Paul Manafort, addressed RNC members at its spring meeting in Florida with a presentation. It’s a move the campaign hopes will help Trump against the Texas senator if there’s a contested convention.

Stay with The Hill tonight and tomorrow to read more from Ben Kamisar, who’s on the ground in Hollywood, Fla., about any developments at the RNC’s spring meeting.

And check back with us tomorrow for stories about the intensifying Democratic primary race for the open Maryland Senate seat and the main takeaways from the Federal Election Commission fundraising reports. There’s more tomorrow and over the weekend, so stay tuned.

RACE TO 1600 PENN

HARD CHOICES: The Hill’s Niall Stanage reports: Bernie Sanders faces a stark choice after suffering a defeat to rival Hillary Clinton in the New York primary. Sanders could maintain, or even escalate, his criticism of Clinton on issues such as her speeches to Wall Street. Or he could seek to dial down the tensions in the race, which could help unify the party heading into the Democratic National Convention this summer.

INSIDE BASEBALL: The Hill’s Jonathan Easley reports: Reps. Tom Marino and Lou Barletta, two House Republicans from Pennsylvania, are assisting Donald Trump in the battle for delegates ahead of the state’s presidential primary on Tuesday.

ENOUGH ALREADY: The Hill’s Jesse Byrnes reports: Donald Trump called on Ted Cruz and John Kasich to drop out of the GOP race following his win in New York, tweeting that they should end their bids since they are both mathematically eliminated from winning the GOP nomination on the first ballot at the convention this summer.

RNC PITCH: The Hill’s Jonathan Swan reports: The biggest “Never Trump” super-PAC is heading to the Republican National Committee’s spring meeting in Florida this week to make personal pitches to RNC members not to support Donald Trump at a contested convention. Katie Packer, who chairs Our Principles PAC, a conservative super-PAC that has already spent some $16 million opposing Trump, told The Hill in a Facebook Live conversation that she will fly to Florida on Thursday evening to prepare for her Friday pitch.

ODDS AND ENDS:

TIME 100: The Hill’s Jesse Byrnes reports: All four leading presidential candidates, Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, have landed on Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world.

BIGGEST REGRET: The Hill’s Rebecca Savransky reports: Hillary Clinton said her greatest regret in politics is “voting to give President Bush authority in Iraq.” Her rival Bernie Sanders frequently uses her 2002 vote against her to draw contrasts over foreign policy.

FEMALE TICKET: The Hill’s Jesse Byrnes reports: Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman says in a new interview that there is “no question” the former secretary of State’s shortlist of potential running mates will include women.

LOYAL DEMOCRAT: The Hill’s Harper Neidig reports: Bernie Sanders will remain with the Democratic party if he does not get the nomination, his campaign manager said.

NO SHIFT IN TONE: The Hill’s Jessie Hellmann reports: Jane Sanders denied that her husband, Bernie Sanders, has turned to a more negative campaign against Hillary Clinton.

POLL POSITION

TRUMP ON TOP: The Hill’s Jessie Hellmann reports: A Capitol Weekly/Sextant Strategies poll shows Donald Trump leading in the upcoming California GOP primary by 18 points.

CLINTON CRUSHES: The Hill’s Jonathan Easley reports: Hillary Clinton has a 25-point lead over rival Bernie Sanders in Maryland ahead of Tuesday’s primary, according to a new poll.

THE DAILY TRUMP

DEBATE OVER NC BATHROOM LAW: The Hill’s Jesse Byrnes reports: Donald Trump said North Carolina is “paying a big price” for a controversial bathroom law that has been blasted by LGBT advocates, adding that officials should just “leave it the way it is.” Ted Cruz criticized the backlash to the law after Trump indicated he opposed the measure.

ALL ABOUT PC: The Hill’s Jesse Byrnes reports: Donald Trump came out against removing former President Andrew Jackson from the front of the $20 bill, saying “pure political correctness” is behind the move.

“SPOOKED”: The Hill’s Mark Hensch reports: Former Democratic New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson says Donald Trump has scared Republicans away from tackling immigration reform. “I think because of the talk of Trump on closing the borders, on deporting 11 million people, which is impossible and too costly to do, he has spooked those very moderate Republicans, those Republicans that I think can see an advantage in immigration reform,” he said.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“What it really gets down to, if you want to be honest, is … that’s just more votes in the Democratic Party.”

— John Kasich, explaining why he opposes giving Washington, D.C., members of Congress voting rights.

CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGNS

FROM ONE RACE TO THE NEXT: The Hill’s Cristina Marcos reports: Rep. Gwen Graham (D-Fla.), who would have faced one of the toughest reelection fights of any House Democrat, announced she won’t seek another term following redistricting in her state. Instead, Graham said in a video that she’s considering a run for Florida governor in 2018.

OLD LINE STATE SHOWDOWN: The Hill’s Jonathan Easley reports: Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) has a 16-point lead over Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Md.) ahead of Tuesday’s Democratic Senate primary in Maryland, a new poll finds.

MONEY WATCH

SANDERS HAUL: The Hill’s Kyle Balluck reports: Bernie Sanders’s campaign is touting its March fundraising haul, reporting $46 million raised during the month in a Federal Election Commission filing.

WHAT WE ARE WATCHING FOR TODAY, TOMORROW AND THE WEEKEND:

(All times Eastern)

Hillary Clinton will campaign in the Philadelphia area, Pittsburgh and Scranton at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. On Saturday, she’ll campaign in Rhode Island.

John Kasich speaks at the Chester County GOP Reception & Dinner at 6:30 p.m. today in King of Prussia, Pa. He’ll hold a town hall at 5:30 p.m. Friday in Glastonbury, Conn., and a town hall in Smithfield, R.I. at 11 a.m. Saturday.

Bernie Sanders holds a rally at 7:30 tonight in the Philadelphia area. On Friday, he’ll give a speech at 9:30 a.m. at the Faith and Moral Economy Breakfast in Philadelphia, then he’ll hold a town hall in Gettysburg along with Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, at 2 p.m. and a rally in Millersville, Pa., at 7:30 p.m.

Donald Trump holds rallies in Harrisburg, Pa., at 7 p.m. today, in Harrington, Del., at 3 p.m. tomorrow and in Waterbury, Conn., at 10 a.m. on Saturday.

Ted Cruz will speak at 7:20 p.m. today at Indiana Republican Party Spring Dinner in Indianapolis. On Friday, he’ll hold an energy and Jobs town hall in Williamsport, Pa., at 10 a.m., and a rally in Scranton at 2:30 p.m.

On Friday, the Maine GOP State Convention begins. The Howie Carr Show will broadcast live from the event from 3-7 p.m.

The Utah state Democratic convention will hold national delegate elections at 3 p.m. Meanwhile, the Utah state Republican convention runs from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday.

TWEET OF THE DAY