Donald Trump hires senior adviser to Yanukovych

Baku. 30 March. REPORT.AZ/ Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump has reportedly hired Republican strategist Paul Manafort to lead his delegate efforts, Report informs citing The New York Times.

Trump confirmed the hire to the Times during a phone interview.

"Yes, it is true," he said.

Manafort has had past experience with nomination fights.

He helped to manage the convention floor for Gerald Ford during the 1976 convention, when Ford was facing off against Ronald Reagan. Neither candidate went into the convention with a majority of the delegates.

Manafort also helped to manage the convention floor for Ronald Reagan in 1980, George H. W. Bush in 1988 and Bob Dole in 1996.

Manafort has worked as an international political consultant and served as a senior adviser to former President Viktor F. Yanukovych of Ukraine.

Trump is hoping to clinch the nomination ahead of the convention.

On Monday, his campaign announced it will continue with its plans to contest the delegate allocation from the Louisiana primary. Trump beat rival Ted Cruz by less than 4 points in the Louisiana primary and both candidates were awarded 18 delegates, but Cruz could end up getting 10 more delegates than the front-runner, according to The Wall Street Journal. He could end up taking Marco Rubio's five delegates - as the candidate has since dropped out of the race - and five unbound ones.