A conservative activist acknowledges there could be a problem if Donald Trump is denied the nomination at this summer's Republican National Convention.

On Tuesday, the Republican frontrunner strengthened his chances to get to the magic number of 1,237 delegates needed to secure the nomination. The decisive primary victory in his home state gained him at least 89 of New York's 95 GOP delegates.

Gary Bauer is president of American Values and a Ted Cruz supporter. He believes that while the odds are still against Trump having enough delegates to win on the first ballot, the closer Trump gets to that number the harder it will be for someone else to win the nomination on a subsequent ballot.

"[It would be difficult in that case to deny him the nomination] without appearing to have somehow cheated Mr. Trump and an unknown percentage of his voters, who may be angry enough that they punish the country by staying home and letting Hillary Clinton become president," he offers.

But the former presidential candidate says there's another possibility: "The country is so upset about the policies of the last eight years that whoever we nominate will eventually get the rest of the party to coalesce around them and attract enough conservative-leaning independents that they can end up winning the election."

Worlds apart ...

Comments since the New York primary from the two leading GOP candidates could very well drive conservative-leaning voters toward Cruz, since the two differ greatly on a couple of hot-button issues.

On Thursday, Trump said transgender individuals should be able to sue whichever bathroom they choose. "There have been very few complaints the way it is. People go, they use the bathroom that they feel is appropriate," he said. "There has been so little trouble."

In contrast, Cruz said "basic common sense" dictates that "grown adult men ... should not be alone in a bathroom with little girls."

Also on Thursday, Trump said if he's the GOP nominee he would "absolutely" change the party platform's position on abortion to include exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother. Cruz has stated that he opposes such exceptions.