Cruz and Kasich merge campaigns in shock bid to cripple Trump

Donald Trump's Republican rivals have announced shock plans to co-ordinate primary strategies in upcoming states to deprive the front-runner of the delegates he needs to win the party nomination. In an extraordinary move, Ted Cruz and John Kasich issued near-simultaneous statements outlining an agreement that may be unprecedented in modern American politics. The Kasich campaign will give Mr Cruz "a clear path in Indiana". In return, the Cruz campaign will "clear the path" for Mr Kasich in Oregon and New Mexico. "Having Donald Trump at the top of the ticket in November would be a sure disaster for Republicans," Mr Cruz's campaign manager Jeff Roe said in a statement explaining the new plans. "Not only would Trump get blown out by Clinton or Sanders, but having him as our nominee would set the party back a generation." Mr Kasich's chief strategist John Weaver added: "Our goal is to have an open convention in Cleveland, where we are confident a candidate capable of uniting the party and winning in November will emerge as the nominee." The arrangement marks a sharp reversal for Mr Cruz's team, which aggressively opposed the idea of a co-ordinated anti-Trump effort as recently as...