Free Republic

I've just heard from a political operative whom I've known a long time and whose integrity I trust. This person is working with an organization—not one of the campaigns—that was in the field (using a very reputable pollster) Wednesday night in South Carolina. Here's what the pollster found:

Republican senators are coming around to the view that Jeb Bush is unlikely to win the party's nomination for president and that freshman Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.) is the most viable prospect for the general election. Rubio has had plenty of support among Beltway pundits since the outset of his campaign but Bush's poor performance in the last Republican debate, together with his declining poll numbers, have begun to shift sentiment in even the upper echelons of the GOP's establishment. "Marco's in the driver's seat. There's a lot of disappointment in Bush's performance," said one Republican senator, who requested anonymity...

ORFORD, N.H. (AP) - Florida Sen. Marco Rubio says Donald Trump will not be the Republican presidential nominee because his message is not an optimistic one. Rubio has largely shied away from taking on Trump, the billionaire businessman sitting atop polls of the Republican rivals. In recent weeks, candidates such as Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush have started to go head-to-head with Trump. Rubio's criticisms Wednesday were measured, even when asked about Trump's comment that Rubio is "disloyal" and "disrespectful" for running against Bush, who was Rubio's mentor in Florida politics. "I think our nominee...

He’s a 42-year-old freshman senator, but when asked by Jonathan Karl on “This Week” if he’s ready to be president, Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida answered without hesitation. “I do … but I think that’s true for multiple other people that would want to run … I mean, I’ll be 43 this month, but the other thing that perhaps people don’t realize, I’ve served now in public office for the better part of 14 years,” said Rubio. “Most importantly, I think a president has to have a clear vision of where the country needs to go and clear ideas...