gop rivals sen. ted cruz and ohio gov. john kasich are joining forces to take down front-runner donald trump.









the news comes a day before voters in five northeastern states head to the polls to cast ballots in another round of crucial presidential primaries.









trump is expected to add to his overwhelming delegate lead.









"i have got to get rid of these two guys. i am sorry folks," the tycoon told his supporters.









cruz and kasich almost simultaneously announced sunday they're coordinating their campaigns to deny the front-runner the 1,237 delegates needed to win the party's nomination before the convention.









"i think, when we're at the convention, the delegates are going to want to know who can beat hillary," kasich said.









the kasich campaign is backing off in indiana, giving cruz a clearer path to victory in next month's primary.









in return, the cruz campaign will ease up to give kasich a "clearer the path" in oregon and new mexico.









"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.









"not only would trump get blown out by clinton or sanders," he warned. "but having him as our nominee would set the party back a generation."









the kaisch campaign also released a statement explaining, "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."









"wow, just announced that lyin' ted and kasich are going to collude in order to keep me from getting the republican nomination. desperation!" he tweeted.









meanwhile, in the democratic race, there is talk hillary clinton is already quietly starting the search for a vice presidential running mate.









"i am just working hard to win on tuesday," said clinton, who is ahead in all five states voting tuesday.









the former state secretary is virtually assured of winning the democratic nomination before her party's convention.









even so, rival bernie sanders is still promising to stay in the race.









"well, we're going to have to do <u+2014> obviously, win big in the number of the primaries and caucuses that yet remain," the vermont senator told nbc news saturday.









"a poll came out yesterday that has us within striking distance in california, a larger state. i think we can do very well in california," he said.
desperate measures: cruz, kasich team up to take down trump
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