Indiana voters head to the polls May 3 for what is sure to be a high-stakes primary battle between Sen. Ted Cruz and GOP front-runner Donald Trump. The Hoosier State will become the largest battleground for the remaining GOP candidates after Pennsylvania and before the June 7 California primary.

Indiana boasts 30 delegates which will be awarded to the statewide victor, with an additional 27 that will be allotted to the winner of each of the state’s nine congressional districts.

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The Indiana primary is a must-win for Cruz if he wants to prevent Trump from getting to the 1,237 delegates necessary to secure the nomination. More than likely, the Cruz campaign will look to replicate its Wisconsin strategy, which delivered a much-needed victory for the Texas senator. Cruz had the backing of Wisconsin’s popular governor, Scott Walker, as well as endorsements of local officials who helped to boost his campaign in the state.

“Indiana is going to be a battleground,” Cruz said at an event in Indiana last week. His statement signals that he is prepared for the upcoming Hoosier State slog.

What’s more, since the GOP Establishment’s plans to derail Trump nationally have failed, it has now set its sights on individual state contests as a way to prevent the GOP front-runner from accruing delegates.

The first was Wisconsin. One of the major outside groups to shell out millions on attack ads against Trump is Club for Growth, which saturated Wisconsin with ads and is now doing the same in Indiana. The conservative group announced a $1.5 million ad buy in the Hoosier State Thursday. The ad argues that anyone who votes for Gov. John Kasich is actually helping Trump.

[lz_third_party includes=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQQhd9YG5Dc&feature=youtu.be”]

Indiana is a must-win for the Trump campaign in the sense that it keeps him on the path to collecting 1,237 delegates and will put the idea of a contested convention to bed. If he doesn’t win in the Hoosier State, his chances of securing the 1,237 prior to the convention in July become grayer and would necessitate a sweeping win in California. Trump, who is new to the ground game, will need to implement one if he wants to win in Indiana — and make an appeal to state and local elected officials if he wants to prevent Cruz from winning.

All eyes are on the Hoosier State and specifically its Republican governor Mike Pence, who hasn’t ruled out an endorsement. Pence met with Trump on Wednesday and Cruz on Thursday and is expected to meet with Kasich this week.

Pence’s office spoke highly of the meeting with the GOP front-runner. “The governor was also grateful for the opportunity to describe Indiana’s economic success, and expressed his desire to have a partner in the White House who will help advance pro-growth economic policies, reduce burdensome regulation, and curb the size and scope of government,” said Kara Brooks, Pence’s spokesperson, in a statement.

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However, Pence’s office said something very similar about the governor’s meeting with Cruz. “He stressed his desire to have a partner in the White House who will help advance policies on the federal level that will enable states like Indiana to build on this progress. Governor Pence firmly believes that by addressing these issues on the national level, Indiana can build on its recent momentum and continue to be a great place to live, work, and raise a family,” Brooks said in another statement.

[lz_table title=”Indiana Republican Presidential Primary” source=”WTHR/HoweyPolitics”]Donald Trump, 37%
|Ted Cruz, 31%
|John Kasich, 22%
[/lz_table]

Trump’s willingness and interest in meeting with Pence is already a different tune for his campaign. In Wisconsin, Trump didn’t meet with Walker and instead attacked the popular governor. Pence’s backing would be a welcome endorsement for Trump but would also benefit Cruz, whose candidacy hangs in the balance if a loss occurs in Indiana.

A poll released Friday afternoon shows a close race in the Hoosier State. The WTHR/Howey Politics poll shows Trump leading the Republican field with 37 percent to Cruz’s 31 percent and Kasich’s 22 percent.

While it is predicted that Indiana could ultimately be favorable to Cruz, there is a lack of polling in the state — which makes it all the more interesting as the candidates vie for a big win that could determine their fates.