Posted on 03/09/2016 1:18:05 PM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
It’s not that last night’s contests in Idaho, Hawaii, Michigan and Mississsippi doomed Marco Rubio’s campaign; it’s that the four bad performances atop Rubio’s previous disappointments — New Hampshire, South Carolina, Nevada, and just about everywhere else not called Minnesota and Puerto Rico – have now created what feels like an insurmountable perception of defeat.
Three Rubio-friendly conservative writers — Jen Rubin of the Washington Post, Dan McLaughlin of Red State, and Guy Benson of Townhall.com — contend it’s time for Rubio to quit the race and endorse Ted Cruz.
Jen and Dan urge Rubio to strike the deal now to be Cruz’s running mate. (This assumes Cruz wants Rubio to be his vice-president.)
Guy suggests that Rubio should announce he’s withdrawing, but urge his supporters in Florida to still vote for him, as that is the more likely way to deny Trump all of Florida’s 99 delegates. This isn’t likely to work; the announcement that Rubio was quitting the race would prompt some current Rubio supporters to shift to Cruz, simply out of the psychological perception that a vote for Rubio was a wasted vote.
The “everyone unites around Cruz” strategy might be the best option remaining for the #NeverTrump crowd, but it still has flaws. Throughout this cycle, Cruz has experienced his own disappointments, losing demographics he was supposed to win. If Cruz can’t beat Trump among evangelicals in many states, how certain can anyone be that Cruz will beat Trump in those other key demographics? Cruz keeps losing to Trump among “moderate conservative” or “somewhat conservative” and “moderate” GOP voters. Why will that change in the coming weeks?
But Cruz is going to get demolished as the contest moves up north and onto the coasts. He’s a non-factor in the big metropolitan states, New York, California, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New Jersey. What’s the point of rallying around a dead man walking?
Lil’ Marco’s winning strategery was 3-2-1. He is now at 3-3-3-4-splat. He isn’t even following his own playbook.
Those NRO covers made me LOL.
Are they real or did someone photoshop them.
They have all the naive marketing punch of a 1950s toilet tissue advertisement and deliciously ironic.
“A major problem w/Rubio leaving the race prior to the FL primary is that he already has a large number of early voting ballots that have been cast”
Early voting is a major problem.
National Review needs a new name and masthead. I modestly (always!) suggest, Schlonging Times/ The Journal of Getting Schlonged in American Politics
“Maybe National Review can put Cruz on the cover, pretending that they support him, when in fact they support Democrats?”
NR has been 100% taken over by the PUKEneocons.
I am convinced it was Cruz.
Cruz remained ‘above the fray’ and they seemed quite chummy when they got on stage - Cruz knew what was coming Donald’s way.
Add to that - it is not smart for a freshman Senator to crack wise in reference to Depends and someone Donald Trump’s age. I can tell you with absolute authority that this is exactly why he imploded in Florida.
Others might not vote for him because he is Hispanic or Catholic or Cuban in particular.
There are lots of good reasons, and even more bad ones, not too vote for Rubio.
Rubio was doomed since the GOPe came out strong for him after Jeb’s demise. That firmly entrenched him as “establishment”...something that conservative voters are tired of.
I can mostly speak for one, but it will take real issues. No, I'm not talking who was just hired to help with finances.
Then he should go all in and endorse Trump, who has a far more likely shot at winning the Presidency than Cruz.
Establishment endorsing establishment is going to kill Cruz.
I think Cruz is scrambling right now and he is forgetting his message.
I think you mean the GOPukes.
If Rubio can't carry his own state in the primary would he really help in the general election?
Mostly the same....
McCain
Flake
Graham
Ryan
McConnell
They are PUKEneos of the highest grade : )
Cruz/Rubio is a non-starter. As is any combination of Trump/Cruz.
If Rubio and Kasich exit immediately, I can see a viable Cruz/Kasich coalition. Since this won’t happen it’s Trump’s nomination to lose. And as Rush said, only Trump can stop Trump.
Looks to me like a lot of the “safe pick” voters want blood this time around.
Trump has it locked up. NR is delusional.
“National LOOSER Magazine” the GOP Establishment’s rag.
GOPe supports Jeb!, Trump goes up.
GOPe supports Rubio, Trump goes up.
so yeah, come on GOPe, support Cruz now. Trump needs another boost.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.