Donald Trump won the SC primary Saturday, a day that saw Jeb Bush – the heir to an American political dynasty – drop out of the race.
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Following a week that marked the threat of a lawsuit, an attack on former President George W. Bush and a slam from Pope Francis, Trump told supporters Saturday night, “When you win, it’s attractive”.
As vote tallies showed him essentially tied for second with Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, Mr. Cruz said he had continued “defying expectations” in the early states, even though he seemed to underperform relative to the some recent polls.
Eight months into his campaign, Bush was no longer regarded by donors and supporters as a mighty guardian of conservatism that could promise the retake of the White House.
Bush, having already finished sixth in Iowa and fourth in New Hampshire, couldn’t effectively carry on without a strong SC showing – either top three or close to Rubio, his most immediate rival. During his victory speech Saturday, Trump did not mention or offer any good wishes for Bush. “It’s certainly bigger than any one candidate”.
Another candidate, Ohio Governor John Kasich, is concentrating on midwestern and northern states in the state-by-state contest to pick nominees for the election.
Mr Trump tweeted shortly before his victory was declared: “People (pundits) gave me no chance in SC”.
Seeking a one-on-one showdown with Trump or Cruz down the line, Rubio told Fox News that “we feel really good about this race when it narrows down”. Ted Cruz for second place in the “First in the South” primary. With 99 percent of the vote counted, he had 32.5 percent, putting him about 10 percentage points ahead of Rubio and Cruz.
The Nevada Republican caucuses will be held on Tuesday (Wednesday Melbourne time).
The results suggest voters behaved more like their counterparts in New Hampshire than in Iowa, where a coalition of very conservative voters and evangelicals put Sen. All of the other candidates had to wait until the last few days to lock in most of their voter support.
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“I have an incredible affection and admiration for Gov. Bush and his family and their service to this country”, Rubio said.
