“Seventy percent [of GOP voters] does not support [Trump]”, he said, adding that as the GOP field shrinks, “it’ll be easier and easier for this 70 percent to coalesce” around remaining contenders. “And I really respect their decision”. “I’m going to do great with the African-Americans”.
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The senator from Texas said his campaign did not question the faith of other candidates.
Trump was in Georgia exulting over his latest victory, Cruz headed for Nevada, and Rubio embarked on a Tennessee-Arkansas-Nevada swing. We are going to lose to Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders.
“I think the evangelical vote [in South Carolina] was a surprise a bit, because his campaign worked so hard on those”, said Republican strategist Debbie Georgatos. Many states will hold primaries on March 1, a day known as Super Tuesday.
Working to increase his support among black voters, Mr Sanders visited a Baptist church lunch following services in West Columbia, South Carolina, and talked up the country’s economic recovery under President Barack Obama.
Both Rubio and Cruz came out of SC with sharper criticism of Trump and an eye to March 1, when 12 states hold primaries or caucuses. Cruz characterized the results as a “virtual tie” with the Florida senator: Rubio won 22.5 percent of the vote to Cruz’s 22.3 percent.
Currently, Trump has 67 delegates, compared to 11 for Cruz and 10 for Rubio. In a speech thanking his supporters, Rubio had nothing but kind words for the former Florida governor who had attempted to brand himself as “Jeb!” Rubio avoided criticizing his Republican rivals, instead highlighting his efforts to help middle-class families.
“This guy Cruz lies more than any human being I’ve ever dealt with”, Trump said.
U.S. Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio kisses his wife Jeanette as their children watch during a primary night rally in Columbia, South Carolina, on February 20, 2016.
Kasich, endorsed by The New York Times and given a boost by his No. 2 finish to Trump in New Hampshire, got the backing on Sunday of Stanley Druckenmillion, a hedge fund billionaire.
Not so fast, Kasich countered.
Mrs Clinton, who won Iowa but was beaten convincingly in New Hampshire by Mr Sanders, has already declared victory in a tweet, thanking people who voted for her, saying “this is your win”.
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In South Carolina on Saturday, Trump was the most popular candidate among white evangelicals – a disappointment for Cruz, who has been courting this group throughout his campaign. Instead, she looks set to follow up a decent five-point win in Nevada with a big win in SC next Saturday (she leads in the polls there by 25 points) and go into Super Tuesday with a strong wind at her back.
