What each candidate needs to win the nomination

[ElectionsGuy]

In percentage of remaining delegates (according to Erc's preliminary numbers, and does not include uncommitted delegates to other candidates)

Trump: 59.5%
Cruz: 84.8%
Kasich: 114.6%

This is unrealistic of course, I expect Marco Rubio's 170 or so delegates to go to other candidates, but that is critical to the hopes of Cruz. Kasich's path to the nomination is mathematically impossible, and Trump really needs strong showings in the next few months.

[Why]

That is to get 1237.

Trump probably does not need to get quite there to win even on the first ballot as there will be un-pledged delegates who could provide him with some votes.

Cruz is not going to get there but needs to find a way of doing much better than now otherwise it will be hard for him to be a force in a brokered convention.

Kasich needs to build on his Ohio win and come home strongly. If he can improve and do extremely well on June 7 then he might be the candidate with the momentum. The trouble is Cruz might drop out and his delegates vote for Trump giving him a win.

[Likely Voter]

I suspect you will be hearing the term 'unpledged delegate' a lot in the upcoming weeks.   Or should I say "future ambassadors"

[Meclazine for Israel]

If Kasich cannot mathematically get there, why is he still in the race?

Rubio had 170 delegates.

[Leinad]

Cruz needs to beat Trump on delegates, because Trump will probably hold the party hostage at any type of contested/brokered convention. He's already said that a plurality is enough, so if he misses a majority but still has more than anyone else he'll probably demand that they either nominate him or he runs as an independent, where probably enough Trump Republicans would follow him to give the election to Hillary.

[Figueira]

If Kasich cannot mathematically get there, why is he still in the race?

Rubio had 170 delegates.

I don't think Kasich especially wants Trump or Cruz to win, and he has stated that a brokered convention would be "cool."

[Coolface Sock #42069]

Cruz needs to beat Trump on delegates, because Trump will probably hold the party hostage at any type of contested/brokered convention. He's already said that a plurality is enough, so if he misses a majority but still has more than anyone else he'll probably demand that they either nominate him or he runs as an independent, where probably enough Trump Republicans would follow him to give the election to Hillary.

It is too late for him to get on the ballot.

[SillyAmerican]

That is to get 1237.

Trump probably does not need to get quite there to win even on the first ballot as there will be un-pledged delegates who could provide him with some votes.

Cruz is not going to get there but needs to find a way of doing much better than now otherwise it will be hard for him to be a force in a brokered convention.

Kasich needs to build on his Ohio win and come home strongly. If he can improve and do extremely well on June 7 then he might be the candidate with the momentum. The trouble is Cruz might drop out and his delegates vote for Trump giving him a win.

There's really no outright path to 1237 for Cruz or Kasich. So it comes down to preventing Trump from getting there, and working things out at the convention.

If Kasich cannot mathematically get there, why is he still in the race?

I think Kasich is staying in the race just in case there are still reasonable people in the GOP who need someone to vote for. And lest you think it impossible, take heart: in the last 150 years, the GOP has had eight contested conventions, and of those, five were won by someone other than the frontrunner. This time around, that someone could be Kasich...