Chelsea Schneider

Chelsea.Schneider@indystar.com

A day after GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump lost in Wisconsin, leaders of his Indiana campaign predicted a better outcome in the Hoosier state — and said they expect Trump to visit multiple times.

In what some analysts are calling a turning point for the unconventional candidate, Trump on Tuesday finished second in Wisconsin’s primary to Ted Cruz. The Republican front-runner faltered in the state after a series of campaign gaffes but is expected to do well in New York, which holds the next primary on April 19.

Officials with Trump's Indiana campaign say his prospects for the state's May 3 primary also still look good.

Plans are to open a Central Indiana campaign office by next week, with more to follow, as Trump works to clinch the state’s 57 Republican delegates.

Polls expected Cruz’s victory in Wisconsin for some time, Trump campaign officials said, and they think that state could be Cruz’s last win over Trump. That means Trump could still win a majority of Republican delegates to stave off a contested Republican National Convention.

“I don’t think it gets much harder than it did yesterday,” said Tony Samuel, a vice chairman for Trump’s Indiana campaign. “There’s still a good possibility of him getting to 1,237. It’s going to be on the last day on June 7 if it happens, but he’s leading in California as well. So it could go to an open convention, but it might not.”

This week Trump named longtime Republican leader Rex Early to serve as chairman of his Indiana campaign. Early is a former state Republican Party chairman and ran for governor in 1996.

Trump adds former GOP party boss Rex Early to chair his Indiana campaign

Early admitted the Trump campaign was beginning its efforts a little late in Indiana.

“We’re going to catch up,” Early said.

Samuel said to expect the campaign to “move fast” and said Trump is taking Indiana very seriously. Heading into the last stretch of primary season, Trump will begin sharing greater details of policy proposals, Samuel said.

One thing the Trump team doesn't expect is for Gov. Mike Pence to endorse a presidential candidate. Samuel said he has been told “the governor is going to stay out of it.”

Trump names Indiana campaign director

At a news conference Wednesday at state GOP headquarters, Early questioned why Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who is far behind in terms of delegates, remains in the race. Trump has called on Kasich to drop out.

“(Kasich) obviously thinks there’s going to be some kind of deal made, but he’s only got a hundred some delegates,” Early said. “Like my grandpa used to say: ‘If you ain’t got no socks, you can’t pull them up.’”

But Early has supported Kasich in the past. In December, he donated $500 to the Kasich campaign, federal campaign finance records show. He also was named as an organizer of a Kasich fundraiser held in November at The Columbia Club in Downtown Indianapolis.

Early said he thinks Trump has been "much more conservative."

Trump's activity follows the hiring of prominent GOP consulting firm Hathaway Strategies to run Kasich's Indiana campaign. Cruz's campaign has said it plans to name its Indiana leaders soon.

Call IndyStar reporter Chelsea Schneider at (317) 444-6077. Follow her on Twitter: @IndyStarChelsea.

In presidential race, Hoosiers finally matter as May 3 primary approaches