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Essential question

In what ways do politicians running for the same office try to set themselves apart from their opponents?

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Senators Bernie Sanders and Ted Cruz won Wisconsin’s Democratic and Republican primaries on Tuesday, but will need to keep their momentum through upcoming major contests in New York and Pennsylvania. While visiting New York City and the surrounding boroughs Wednesday, Cruz attempted to clarify comments made earlier in the election season regarding New York values and prominent New York businessman Donald Trump. “It’s the values of the liberal Democratic politicians that have been hammering the people of New York for a long time,” Cruz said. Cruz’s recent success has led to growing support from the Republican establishment, despite his early characterization of himself as an anti-establishment candidate. Yet overwhelming party opposition to the possibility of Trump winning the nomination has forced Republicans to close ranks around Cruz. As Sanders begins making the rounds in Pennsylvania, his opponent and current front-runner Hillary Clinton took aim at his idealistic progressive agenda in a speech in Philadelphia. Saying many of Sanders’ economic and social proposals had little chance of making it through Congress, Clinton added that in other important policy areas Sanders “doesn’t have a plan at all.”

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Key terms

establishment — a dominant group that holds power or authority in a nation or an institution delegates — individuals chosen to represent their state at the Republican and Democratic national conventions where each party nominates their candidate to run in the general election

Warm up questions ( before watching the video)

1. Which Democratic and Republican candidates are leading in the 2016 presidential race?


2. When is your state's primary?


3. Where are the next two major presidential primaries taking place?

Critical thinking questions ( after watching the video)

1. Why do you think Sen. Ted Cruz criticized New York values?


2. Do you agree with Hillary Clinton's criticism of Sen. Bernie Sanders' that his campaign is largely based on ideas that sound good like free college but are unrealistic?


3. Do you think Sanders and Cruz have a chance of clinching the nomination? Why or why not?