Cruz also received a psychological boost from a closely watched straw poll of conservative activists meeting outside Washington who named him their pick for president. Ted Cruz greets supporters after speaking at a rally on the campus of Boise State University in Boise, Idaho, Saturday, March 5, 2016.
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As have his fellow Republican presidential candidates and many GOP senators, Rubio has argued that President Barack Obama shouldn’t attempt to fill the seat vacated by the February 13 death of Justice Antonin Scalia.
At a rally in Rubio’s home state on Saturday, Trump criticised his opponent, using a favourite nickname – “little Marco”.
(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio). Democratic presidential candidate, Sen.
“I like Bernie, but I think Hillary had the best chance of winning”, she said.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.
In a split decision, Ted Cruz and Donald Trump each captured two victories in Saturday’s four-state round of voting, fresh evidence that there’s no quick end in sight to the fractious GOP race for president.
The three states holding Democratic contests on Saturday had a total of 109 delegates at stake. Turnout in Republican presidential caucuses in Kansas exceeded the party’s most optimistic predictions.
It becomes harder and harder for the Florida senator to argue he’s the best candidate to topple Trump when he has still only netted one statewide victory (Minnesota on Super Tuesday).
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders picked up Kansas and Nebraska in the caucuses. Even so, Sanders fell further behind in his effort to overtake Clinton’s commanding lead in delegates.
Sanders won by solid margins in Nebraska and Kansas, giving him seven victories so far in the nominating season, compared to 11 for Clinton, who still maintains a commanding lead in competition for delegates. Although that history may have favored Cruz, Trump proved again he could win in a Southern state with evangelical voters. Republicans will battle it out in Puerto Rico’s GOP caucus for 23 delegates.
With the GOP race in chaos, establishment figures are looking for any way to derail Trump, perhaps at a contested convention if no candidate can get enough delegates to lock up the nomination in advance.
This week both Mitt Romney and John McCain, the 2012 and 2008 Republican presidential nominees respectively, spoke forcefully against Trump being the nominee.
Trump said Republicans need to unite to defeat Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton.
Cruz, for his part, said his strong showing was “a manifestation of a real shift in momentum”.
-“Donald Trump is a bigot”.
Ted Cruz just visited the state on Friday, a day before the election hoping to gain votes. “That will be easy”. In fourth – and last – place was Ohio Gov. John Kasich with the backing of 7 percent of conservative voters.
Campaigning in Detroit, Clinton said she was thrilled to add to her delegate count and expected to do well in Michigan’s primary on Tuesday.
“You’re going to see us win, win, win”, said the billionaire businessman, who ditched a conference of conservatives in the Washington area – a snub that organizers said “sends a clear message to conservatives”.
Stressing the important of voter turnout, he said, “when large numbers of people come – working people, young people who have not been involved in the political process – we will do well and I think that is bearing out tonight”.
The two Democrats were preparing to spar in their seventh debate on Sunday in Flint, Michigan, with trade and economic policy sure to be prime subjects.
Clinton has won 1058 delegates – nearly half the amount needed – while Sanders has 431 after Super Tuesday.
Clinton had at least 1,117 delegates to Sanders’ 477, including superdelegates – members of Congress, governors and party officials who can support the candidate of their choice.
Republican front-runner Donald Trump says he will clinch the GOP nomination if he wins Florida’s March 15 primary. Cruz had 231, Rubio 110 and Kasich 25.
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“Trump knows that Marco has the momentum in Florida and is afraid because he knows losing those 99 delegates to Marco will be a turning point in this race”, said campaign spokesman Alex Conant.
