by Mike Andrew - SGN Staff Writer

In the wake of a stunning defeat in the Wisconsin primary on April 5, Donald Trump lashed out at his main rival, Ted Cruz, accusing the Texas senator of trying to 'steal' the Republican presidential nomination.

'Donald J. Trump withstood the onslaught of the establishment yet again,' a statement from the Trump campaign said.

'Lyin' Ted Cruz had the governor of Wisconsin, many conservative talk radio show hosts, and the entire party apparatus behind him. Not only was he propelled by the anti-Trump Super PAC's spending countless millions of dollars on false advertising against Mr. Trump but he was coordinating with his own Super PACs (which is illegal) who totally control him. Ted Cruz is worse than a puppet - he is a Trojan horse, being used by the party bosses attempting to steal the nomination from Mr. Trump. We have total confidence that Mr. Trump will go on to win in New York, where he holds a substantial lead in all the polls, and beyond. Mr. Trump is the only candidate who can secure the delegates needed to win the Republican nomination and ultimately defeat Hillary Clinton, or whomever [sic] is the Democratic nominee, in order to Make America Great Again.'

'Lyin' Ted' is becoming the standard Trump reference to his rival for the nomination. The expression 'Trojan horse' is one Trump has used previously, but only to describe Syrian refugees who - in Trump world - are all ISIS infiltrators.

The accusation that Cruz is conspiring with 'party bosses' to 'steal the nomination from Mr. Trump' refers to attempts by Republican party insiders to craft rules for the GOP's July convention in such a way that if Trump fails to win a first-ballot victory, he can be blocked from getting the nomination.

Cruz operatives have reportedly been manipulating state party conventions in Louisiana and other states where Trump has already won primaries to get Cruz supporters appointed as nominal 'Trump delegates' who will then desert to Cruz on the second or third ballots.

In response, Trump has backed away from his previous commitment to support the eventual GOP nominee.

In a March 29 town hall with CNN's Anderson Cooper, Trump charged he had been 'treated very unfairly' by the Republican National Committee and the party 'establishment' and said he no longer felt bound by the agreement he signed in September.

Cruz also has been moving away from his prior commitment to back Trump if he is the nominee.

'I don't make a habit out of supporting people who attack my wife and attack my family,' Cruz said during a news conference in Wisconsin, referring to Trump attacks on Heidi Cruz. While Cruz has not endeared himself to Republican Party insiders, the New York Times reports that he is approaching big donors in Trump's home state, trying to line up support. The situation is 'delicate,' the Times says, because Trump has a huge lead for the upcoming New York primary, but GOP donors now believe that a Trump nomination would be disastrous for the party.

On the other hand, a Trump third-party bid would be equally harmful to Republican chances, in the event Trump believes he was unfairly deprived of the nomination.

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