Presidential Candidates Make Final Push Ahead Of New York Primary
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork)-- Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton was campaigning in Staten Island ahead of Tuesday's primary.
When you think of Clinton country, you probably don't think of Staten Island. It's the most Republican of the boroughs, but Clinton visited anyway, WCBS 880's Peter Haskell reported.
The CBS News Battleground tracker poll has Clinton leading Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders 53 percent to 43 percent, CBS2's Hazel Sanchez reported.
Christina Genovese was one of the attendees at Snug Harbor event.
"She's really pushing out there as much as she can and I certainly appreciate her effort to come out here for us," she told WCBS 880.
"If you will stand with me and vote for me on Tuesday, I will stand for and fight for you all during this campaign and into the White House," Clinton told voters.
WCBS 880's Paul Murnane and Wayne Cabot will speak with the former secretary of state at 8:30 a.m. Monday.
Sanders, down but not out, rallied with a large crowd of supporters in Prospect Park Brooklyn, 1010 WINS' Carol D'Auria reported.
He promised voters a fundamental change.
"We're going to do it a different way," Sanders said.
Earlier, during an appearance on CBS' Face The Nation, he blamed the New York voting system for denying him a more fluid victory.
"I think we have a real shot to win on Tuesday if there is a large voter turnout. But even here in NY state you have a voting system that makes it impossible for independents to participate in the Democratic primary," he said.
Sanders said past primaries have taught him he wins in states where voter turnout is high and loses when it's low, WCBS 880's Stephanie Colombini reported.
"Let's have a record breaking turnout on Tuesday," he said.
On the Republican front, Ted Cruz is closing in on frontrunner Donald Trump's delegate count after sweeping all 14 Wyoming delegates at the state's convention.
Trump, rallying with supporters on Staten Island, wasn't phased.
"Well, it's a rigged election," he reiterated. "I can't imagine any New Yorker voting for Cruz. And he can't beat Hillary. I'm gonna beat Hillary."
Ohio Gov. John Kasich dismissed Trump's accusations that the GOP nomination is "rigged."
"No, I think it's the way it works. You know, it's like saying, 'I made an 83 on my math test, so I should get an A just because I think it's rigged that you have to make a 90 to get an A.' I mean, come on. Act like you know you're a professional. Be a pro," Kasich said.
The CBS News poll has Trump leading with 54 percent of the vote in New York, Cruz in second with 21 percent, and Kasich last with 19 percent. But Cruz's camp is hopeful Trump's hometown advantage won't be enough to clinch the GOP nomination.
"You know it's easy to talk about making America great again. You can even print that on a baseball cap. But the real question is, 'Do you understand the principles and values that made America great in the first place?" Cruz said.
Kasich will make last minute stops in Syracuse and Schenectady Monday. Cruz will make appearances in Manhattan tomorrow before heading to Maryland.
Clinton will also be in midtown Manhattan tomorrow, while Sanders will make stops in Long Island City, Queens.