BOSTON – Donald Trump's decision to skip Thursday night's Republican presidential debate came as a surprise to the head of Ted Cruz's campaign in Massachusetts, who said his candidate would have benefited from another chance to draw a contrast with the frontrunner.
"I don't know how it's going to impact the race at large, but I was certainly surprised that he was not going to show up tonight," said state Rep. Jim Lyons, an Andover Republican. "It seems to me that the people of Iowa deserve to see a presidential candidate."
BALTIMORE (AP) — Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday likened the Republican presidential race to a "gift from the Lord" for Democrats trying to win control of the House and Senate.
Biden joked to House Democrats at their annual retreat in Baltimore that he doesn't know who he should root for among Republicans though he didn't refer to any by name. Many Republicans are worried that front-runner Donald Trump or Texas Sen. Ted Cruz could be a drag on other Republicans on the ballot in a general election.
