Cruz, Kasich Form Alliance in Bid to Stop Trump From Securing Nomination — See the GOP Front-Runner’s Reaction

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (TheBlaze/AP) -- Donald Trump's rivals are joining forces to deny him the necessary delegates to win the Republican presidential nomination, the latest display of strife in a convulsive 2016 GOP race.

Ted Cruz and John Kasich issued near-simultaneous statements Sunday outlining an extraordinary compact that may be unprecedented in modern American politics. Under the arrangement, the Kasich campaign will give Cruz "a clear path in Indiana." In return, the Cruz campaign will "clear the path" for Kasich in Oregon and New Mexico.

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The arrangement does not address the five Northeastern states set to vote on Tuesday, where Trump is expected to add to his delegate lead. Kasich and Cruz had already retreated to Indiana, which holds its primary on May 3. Yet the shift offers increasingly desperate Trump foes a glimmer of hope in their long and frustrating fight to halt the former reality television star's unlikely rise.

"Having Donald Trump at the top of the ticket in November would be a sure disaster for Republicans," 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."

Kasich's chief strategist, John Weaver, added in a separate statement, "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 announcement marks a sharp reversal for Cruz's team, which aggressively opposed coordinating anti-Trump efforts with Kasich as recently as late last week. And the partnership-style agreement applies only to Indiana, Oregon and New Mexico - three of the 15 states remaining on the Republican primary calendar.

Yet the development underscores a bleak reality for the billionaire businessman's Republican foes: Time is running out to stop him.

Trump responded on Twitter shortly before midnight: "Wow, just announced that Lyin' Ted and Kasich are going to collude in order to keep me from getting the Republican nomination. DESPERATION!"

Trump later tweeted Monday morning that the partnership between Cruz and Kasich underscores how "desperate" and "weak" Cruz has become.

The announcement came less than 48 hours before voting begins across five Northeastern states where the New York billionaire leads in many polls. Trump campaigned Sunday in Maryland, which will vote on Tuesday along with Rhode Island, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Delaware.

Speaking to several thousand people in an airplane hangar in Hagerstown, Maryland, Sunday evening, Trump stressed repeatedly that he expects to win the 1,237 delegates needed in the first round of voting to stave off a contested convention.

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"I only care about the first. We're not going for the second and third and fourth and fifth," said Trump.

As Kasich backs out of Indiana, Cruz promised to not compete in primary contests in Oregon on May 17 and New Mexico on June 7.

"We will focus our time and resources in New Mexico and Oregon, both areas that are structurally similar to the Northeast politically, where Gov. Kasich is performing well," Weaver said.

As recently as three days ago Kasich's campaign announced investments in Indiana, including the opening of two offices and the creation of a campaign leadership team. His campaign on Sunday night canceled a town hall and gathering in Indianapolis scheduled to watch the results of Tuesday's primaries.

Like Cruz's campaign, Kasich's campaign encouraged allied super PACs and other outside groups to "honor the commitments."

In recent weeks, Trump has repeatedly denounced the GOP's presidential nominating system as "rigged." That criticism is likely to intensify in the coming days.

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