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Update: Donald Trump is now threatening to boycott the CNN town hall, calling the network's coverage "really one-sided and unfair" in a tweet.
Wow, @CNN has nothing but my opponents on their shows. Really one-sided and unfair reporting. Maybe I shouldn't do their town-hall tonight!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 29, 2016
The last three Republican presidential candidates left will take the stage during a CNN town hall in Wisconsin tonight, one week before the state's critical April 5 primary.
Donald Trump and Ted Cruz will be in the same building for the first time since the two fought bitterly over their wives' honor. Still, under the event's town hall format, the candidates appear separately and won't get to confront each other directly, so the fireworks might be kept to a minimum.
Ohio Gov. John Kasich, currently running a distant third and a long shot for the nomination, will also be included in the town hall. CNN's Anderson Cooper will moderate the discussions.
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What's at stake: Can Cruz cut into Trump's lead?
There's a lot riding on Wisconsin's April 5 primary, and, by extension, tonight's town hall.
Cruz has come out ahead in some of the polling in the state, and a big win for him there may help him consolidate the "stop Trump" forces seeking to prevent the frontrunner from clinching the nomination before the Republican National Convention. There are also 42 delegates up for grabs next week, who are allocated on the basis of state and congressional district winners.
"A solid Cruz win in Wisconsin would narrow Trump’s path to the nomination, heap pressure on the billionaire to sweep the remaining winner-take-all primaries this spring, and increase the chances of a contested party convention in July," the Associated Press noted.
The stakes are even higher for Kasich, who has struggled to explain why he's still in the race with no path to the nomination. If he fades further behind in Wisconsin — which, as a Midwestern state, is near his hometown of Ohio — the calls for him to drop out will only grow louder.
Before the town hall, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, a former Republican presidential candidate who dropped out before voting began in the primary, endorsed Cruz.
.@TedCruz is the best-positioned candidate to both win the Republican nomination and defeat Hillary Clinton. I’m proud to stand with him.
— Scott Walker (@ScottWalker) March 29, 2016
How to watch:
When: 8 pm Eastern
Where: Riverside Theater, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
TV: CNN
Online: CNN Go will carry a live stream of the event, but you'll need a cable login to watch.
