Electoral battles

Republican and Democratic presidential candidates issue contrasting responses to Brussels attacks

Republican and Democratic presidential candidates delivered sharply contrasting responses to the deadly terrorist attacks that shook Brussels on Tuesday, with the GOP contenders fiercely criticizing President Obama's national security policies and voicing support for a more aggressive posture, and the leading Democratic hopeful's campaign warning against "advocating torture or bigotry."

The reactions, coming on a day when three more states will hold nominating contests, mostly mirrored the input the candidates have offered in response to previous attacks, such as the massacre in Paris last fall. They contained little in the way of policy specifics and they also raised the possibility of deepening fault lines between and within the two political parties.