Republican presidential hopeful Ted Cruz held a rally in Irvine Monday, two months ahead of California’s crucial June primary.
Hotel Irvine — located at 17900 Jamboree Rd. — hosted the 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. rally. Doors opened at 10:30 a.m.
The visit comes as Cruz and rival John Kasich look to California’s 172 delegates to help them come out ahead of the current front-runner, Donald Trump.
Although Trump leads in the delegate count, it is unclear if he will receive the 1,237 required to win the Republican nomination.
Cruz, arguably the most organized GOP candidate in the state, has visited multiple times, the Los Angeles Times reported last month.
“Most other Republican presidential campaigns’ strategy for California sounds like a burger chain — In-N-Out. They fly in, raise money and get out,” Ron Nehring, a former state party chairman who is Cruz’s California chairman turned national spokesman, told the Times. “Our philosophy has been completely different.”
On Sunday night, Cruz also held a rally in San Diego.
The California visit comes one week after Trump canceled a trip to the state that included a scheduled appearance at his golf club in Rancho Palos Verdes.
The front-runner plans to visit the state, but plans have not been made public, Irvine political strategist and Trump supporter Jeff Corless told the Orange County Register.
Kasich’s campaign has begun hiring staff and plans to open a headquarters in California, the Register reported.
#TedCruz on stage at Hotel Irvine in #OC – 2 OC Supervisors – Steel & Nelson – here supporting him pic.twitter.com/uR3H3LVbgo
— Chip Yost (@ChipYost) April 11, 2016
