Ted Cruz Now Says 'We Are Headed to a Contested Convention'

— -- Sen. Ted Cruz for the first time said he believes the Republican Party is headed to a contested convention.

Cruz had previously called a contested convention likely and that it seemed the party was heading in that direction. But after a disappointing third-place loss in New York Tuesday, the Texas Republican is no longer saying he plans to beat front-runner Donald Trump at the ballot box.

"We are headed to a contested convention,” Cruz said in an interview with Philadelphia talk-radio personality Chris Stigall this morning. “At this point, nobody is getting 1,237. Donald is going to talk all the time about other folks not getting to 1,237; he’s not getting there either. None of us are getting to 1,237.”

And he’s right about one thing. After the New York primary, it is now mathematically impossible for Cruz to clinch the Republican nomination using bound or pledged delegates before the July convention in Cleveland.

As for Trump, who still has a shot at the magic number, the New York real estate mogul boasted Tuesday night after his first primary victory in nearly a month that “we don’t have much of a race anymore,” which Cruz rebutted.

"We are definitely headed to Cleveland,” Cruz told reporters today after a rally in Hershey, Pennsylvania. “And in Cleveland, the people are going to prevail.”

Cruz, who finished in New York behind Trump and Ohio Gov. John Kasich, used the end of his rally to address the front-runner’s Tuesday night win, with Trump taking all New York City boroughs except Manhattan.

"And as the media are breathlessly reporting, Donald Trump won his home state. Truly a remarkable achievement,” Cruz said sarcastically. “Upon winning his home state, Donald, with a characteristic display of humility, declared this race is over, Manhattan has spoken, and if the rest of the voters would quietly go home now and allow him to give the general election to Hillary, all would be better.”

Cruz argued that he won more votes in Wisconsin and Texas than Trump won in New York, and touted his winning streak of five states.

The GOP hopeful also didn’t miss an opportunity to hit Trump over his loss in Manhattan, quipping the borough “has spoken.”

Cruz also predicted next week’s primaries will be successful, saying: “You know what I got a lot more faith in the people of Pennsylvania. There are 71 delegates that are going to be elected here in Pennsylvania. We’re going to take them.”