Presidential candidates crisscrossed Wisconsin on Sunday ahead of the state’s GOP and Democratic primaries in which upsets are looming -- while other, pressing campaign-season issues including debate challenges and convention rules unfolded off the campaign trail.
“I want it,” Democrat frontrunner Hillary Clinton told NBC’s “Meet the Press,” in response to suggestions that she is avoiding a debate with rival Sen. Bernie Sanders in her adopted home state of New York ahead of its April 19 primary.
Sanders, a Brooklynite who has won five of the last six primaries or caucuses, challenged Clinton to a debate.
The Clinton campaign has offered a few dates -- including a weekday morning and at the same time as Monday night’s NCAA men’s basketball champions -- that the Sanders campaign and others see as less than optimal for viewership.
Still, Clinton said she was “confident” about the debate happening.
Late Sunday, the Sanders campaign countered by saying the candidate is available to debate April 10, 11, 12 or 13.
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"Let’s stop the silly political games,” Briggs said. “Let’s get on with debating the candidates’ stands on serious issues affecting New York and the United States.”
Briggs said in a statement late Sunday that Sanders accepted an invitation for a prime-time debate on April 10 on NBC News.
"We hope the Clinton campaign also accepts. The April 10 debate date is one of four dates that the Sanders campaign had proposed for a debate with Secretary Clinton before the New York primary election," he said.
Clinton has no public events Sunday in Wisconsin, where some polls show Sanders with a slight lead.
Though she has attempted to focus her resources of late on a general election race with GOP front-runner Donald Trump or Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Clinton also made clear Sunday the Sanders remains a political threat.
“I certainly I haven't moved on,” she told NBC. “I know that I still have work to do to win the nomination.”
She also repeated her regret for using a private email server for official communications while secretary of state, amid nagging concerns about her trustworthiness and said the FBI had not contacted her about being interviewed regard its investigation of the email matter.
Sanders and the top two GOP presidential candidates, Trump and Cruz, were campaigning in Wisconsin.
The other Republican candidate, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, told ABC’s “This Week” that the Republican convention -- which could happen in July without a clear nominee based on delegate wins -- could be a civics lesson for the country.
“Kids will spend less time focusing on Bieber and Kardashian and more time focusing on how we elect presidents," said Kasich, who has won only Ohio. "It will be so cool."
Trump on Sunday called for Kasich to drop out of the race, arguing he shouldn't be allowed to continue accumulating delegates if he has no chance of being the nominee.
Trump has 736 pledged delegates, followed by Cruz with 463, then Kasich with 143 -- with 1,237 needed to secure the nomination.
However, Trump, after a difficult week, now trails Cruz in Wisconsin, which holds its primary Tuesday, after some polls showed him leading by double-digits several weeks ago.
Trump said Sunday that Kasich could be considered as a nominee at the GOP convention in July even without competing in the remaining nominating contests.
Trump told reporters at a Milwaukee diner that he had relayed his concerns to Republican National Committee officials at a meeting in Washington this past week.
"He's taking my votes," Trump said about Kasich.
The Kasich campaign tried to flip the script, contending that neither Trump nor Cruz would have enough delegates to win the nomination outright going into the convention.
"Since he thinks it's such a good idea, we look forward to Trump dropping out before the convention," said Kasich spokesman Chris Schrimpf.
Trump's declaration came as Republican concerns grew about the prospect of convention chaos if Trump fails to lock up his party's nomination -- or even if he does.
Despite the bad week, Trump returned to the confident bravado his supporters have come to expect. Stopping for breakfast at Miss Katie's Diner on Sunday, Trump predicted he'd do "very well" on Tuesday.
"We're going to have a big surprise for you," he said. "We're going to have a big success."
He also had a town hall event in West Allis, Wis.
Cruz held rallies Sunday in Green Bay and Eau Claire, Wis.
In Green Bay, Cruz was joined by former GOP Gov. Scott Walker, former 2016 candidate Carly Fiorina, wife Heidi Cruz and Packer hall of famer Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila.
Cruz joked about Gbaja-Biamila sacking Trump.
“I’m just picturing the shy, retiring Donald Trump back in the pocket looking at Kabeer, jumping over the offensive line and coming in for a sack,” Cruz said. “I think Donald’s hair would stand on end.”
Sanders held a rally in Madison and a town hall event in Wausau, Wis.
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