At the close of the day on March 5th, Trump leads Republican candidates with a total of 378 delegates. Ted Cruz has 295, Marco Rubio has 123, and John Kasich has 34 delegates. A total of 1,237 delegates is needed for nomination.
Michigan votes on March 8th, where one poll shows John Kasich leading but all the other polls show Trump winning easily. Beginning March 15 the states of Florida, Ohio, and Illinois will have winner-take-all primaries.
As it stands now, Ted Cruz is down only 83 delegates behind Trump while Marco Rubio is 255 delegates down from the leader. How does Rubio justify remaining in the race? Even if Rubio wins all 99 of Florida’s delegates, (which appears very unlikely) he will still be down 156 delegates. This is a rare time when I agree with Donald Trump, Rubio needs to get out the race.
Erick Erickson on Rubio and Cruz here.
Rich Lowery comments here.
9 comments
I voted for Rubio, but I think you are right. There is no way he can win, and his staying in the race doesn’t benefit anyone but Trump. There are a number of states where Cruz is unlikely to be able to compete with Trump, but Kasich is more likely to win those states (to the extent that anyone else can) if Rubio exits. Plus which if Rubio were to put the interest of the nation and the Republican party above his own ambition it would provide a welcome contrast with, well, everyone else.
[…] Current Republican Convention Delegate Count […]
I’m still hoping for a Trump/Cruz or Cruz/Trump ticket. From the beginning, I have thought that this would be the #1 nightmare to the way things are currently being done in Washington. Cruz is the one the inside-the-beltway want the least. Therefore, I believe that we should send this team there. What fun it would be to watch!
Glad to see it tighten between Cruz and Trump { who I support } because I want the candidates to get into the nitty gritty of illegal immigration.
Using Illegal immigrants is like prostitution. We create human trafficking laws in Va. { great ! } , don’t fizzle out there and be weak.
Why just go after the prostitute ? Shouldn’t we be after the Jons and Pimps also ?
We know the Jons and Pimps is what has been keeping this issue alive.
All exploitation must end !
American Jobs
Defending the American Dream
Trump in 2016
What does a guitar have to do w/anything?
Cleveland is known for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. http://www.rockhall.com/ It’s very cool. When in Cleveland you should to there. It’s worth seeing.
I see. Thanks.
I was very high on Marco Rubio, but the Gang of Eight albatross around his neck is fatal. He cannot win. Cruz can … but only if Marco bows out NOW. I hope that he will do that, as he cannot win. He can only assure Trump a clear field to the nomination. Marco Rubio, for the good of the party and the nation, retire.
Rubio is solely being used as a tool to help drive the election to a convention. There’s no other credible explanation.