16 for '16: The Most Talked-About Potential GOP Presidential Candidates

[polychronopolous]

Something we're not taking into account, is the fact that the GE is going to be a whole new level.  One of them could be holding information that will knock the other out.

Could turn out to be the craziest election of our lifetime.

Something we talk about 30 years from now...."that election of 2016"

[Las Vegas]

Could turn out to be the craziest election of our lifetime.

Something we talk about 30 years from now...."that election of 2016"

This one will change it all, I bet.  Let's hope for the better, but come on.

If Trump is for real and not up to something sneaky, then I'd imagine it'll be the last time we see a truly independent person muscle his way into the spotlight like this.

[Dos Equis]

But if he's driven by that, and I agree that he is, then it means he will strive to be a successful leader.  

How does that logic fail, IYO?

Because it's not in his DNA.  He lacks the traits necessary to be a good leader, including integrity, work ethic, good judgment, self-control, selflessness, humility, etc.  On the last point (humility), I don't see him listening to his advisors.  

Just look at some of the things he has said, like (as Romney pointed out) letting ISIS take control of Syria.  That is some spooky stuff.    

[Las Vegas]

Because it's not in his DNA.  He lacks the traits necessary to be a good leader, including integrity, work ethic, good judgment, self-control, selflessness, humility, etc.  On the last point (humility), I don't see him listening to his advisors.  

Just look at some of the things he has said, like (as Romney pointed out) letting ISIS take control of Syria.  That is some spooky stuff.    

It could be that he simply hasn't listened to anyone else for so long, that he's forgotten how to do that.

[Dos Equis]

You say that now but you are a reasonable guy plus I understand emotions are high in this dog fight we are all seeing.

Come October I can almost guarantee you will be singing another tune and resigned to the fact of holding your nose and pulling the lever for a man you despise.

This isn't an emotional decision for me.  That's not how I make substantive decisions.  

I'm also looking at the numbers.  Trump has a sizeable number of Obamabot-like true believers, but an even greater number who don't like him.  He is being propped up by the MSM (Fox News included), but will be taking all sorts of body blows from the MSM if he is the nominee.  It's a total setup.  And remember what happened in 2012?  Romney lost primarily because Republican voters stayed home.  That will happen to Trump.  

What's crazy is Hillary is wounded, might get indicted, is now incredibly vulnerable, and Republicans might nominate the one guy who will have almost a guaranteed loss in November.

I try not to say never, but absent some kind of brain injury, I cannot imagine a scenario where I vote for Trump.    

[Dos Equis]

It could be that he simply hasn't listened to anyone else for so long, that he's forgotten how to do that.

I'd go a step further and say he never learned how to do it.  People like him who are born into his kind of wealth can be like young professional athletes and entertainers who suddenly come into money and are surrounded by people who never say "no."  He has had people kissing his rear for his whole life.   

[Dos Equis]

It's official.  Good run. 

Ben Carson Ends Presidential Campaign
Published March 4, 2016

Republican Ben Carson confirmed during his speech at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference that he is ending his bid for the White House.

The famed neurosurgeon had implied he was dropping out on Wednesday after a disappointing Super Tuesday finish, and he skipped Thursday night's debate in his hometown of Detroit.

But it took him more than 10 minutes into his meandering speech to a packed CPAC crowd to actually say the words — sort of.

"Even though I might be leaving the campaign trail, you know, there's a lot of people who love me, they just won't vote for me, but it's OK!" Carson said as the crowd gave him a standing ovation. "But I will still continue to be heavily involved in trying to save our nation."

He confirmed reports that he will be joining My Faith Votes, an effort to get more evangelical voters to the polls this fall.

Carson, the only African-American candidate in the GOP field, had risen to fame after a viral 2013 speech at the National Prayer Breakfast that criticized Obama, who was just feet away from him.

He surged last fall after getting in the race and even led polls in Iowa at one point. But after terrorist attacks turned many voters' focus back to foreign policy, his stumbles and inexperience on the issue were magnified. Carson began to tumble and never recovered.

On Friday, he acknowledged as he did in a statement earlier this week that there simply was not a path forward for him.

"I did the math; I looked at the delegate count, looked at the states, and looked at the requirements. I realized it simply wasn't going to happen and if that's the case, I didn't want to interfere with the process," Carson said.

While he didn't throw his support behind any of the remaining candidates in the race, he did outline the type of candidate he was looking for — someone with a record of accomplishment, who treats his family well and has the right ethics and policies.

"What we must do as conservatives is we couple conservative with compassion," Carson said. "We the people have to be the ones who really push these things."

http://www.npr.org/2016/03/04/469250764/ben-carson-ends-presidential-campaign?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=20160304

[240 is Back]

It's official.  Good run. 

what was good about it?   What did he achieve? 

His ideas were odd and vague.  His behavior and statements were bizarre at times.

I could argue Carson only DAMAGED and political potential he had by running.  He'd be AWESOME for a veep pick by any candidate running.  BUT the statements about stabbing, robbery, assaults, pyramid/grain... the man ended up looking a lot less brilliant than we believed a year ago.

I guess it was a 'good run' if he just wanted to sell books, I will give you that.  But long term political viability, Carson damaged himself beyond repair.

[The True Adonis]

what was good about it?   What did he achieve? 

His ideas were odd and vague.  His behavior and statements were bizarre at times.

I could argue Carson only DAMAGED and political potential he had by running.  He'd be AWESOME for a veep pick by any candidate running.  BUT the statements about stabbing, robbery, assaults, pyramid/grain... the man ended up looking a lot less brilliant than we believed a year ago.

I guess it was a 'good run' if he just wanted to sell books, I will give you that.  But long term political viability, Carson damaged himself beyond repair.

240, do you NOW believe that Carson is a religious lunatic.  Did you see what he plans to do now that he out of the running. 

[LurkerNoMore]

240, do you NOW believe that Carson is a religious lunatic.  Did you see what he plans to do now that he out of the running. 

I believed that before he even announced he was running in the first place.

[The True Adonis]

I believed that before he even announced he was running in the first place.

I knew that to be the case as well.  He has ALWAYS been a religious lunatic.  Not average crazy, but full force crazy.  I was shocked when people did not know this or that they made excuses for him.  Guy is a grade A nutjob, liar, moron.

[240 is Back]

i've always considered carson to be a highly medicated businessman.

He used religion more as a recruitment tool.  An ACTUAL religious person wouldn't have just MADE UP all those little lies like he did, since that would be a sin.  Carson just made up stories on the fly, these little parables to show he related to things.  Restaurant robberies at gunpoint that magically were never reported, for example.

I think, like Obama, Carson isn't really all that religious - he just exploits the highly religious because they need more role models to support in a field full of snakey Trumps and Rubios.

[Never1AShow]

This isn't an emotional decision for me.  That's not how I make substantive decisions.  

I'm also looking at the numbers.  Trump has a sizeable number of Obamabot-like true believers, but an even greater number who don't like him.  He is being propped up by the MSM (Fox News included), but will be taking all sorts of body blows from the MSM if he is the nominee.  It's a total setup.  And remember what happened in 2012?  Romney lost primarily because Republican voters stayed home.  That will happen to Trump.  

What's crazy is Hillary is wounded, might get indicted, is now incredibly vulnerable, and Republicans might nominate the one guy who will have almost a guaranteed loss in November.

I try not to say never, but absent some kind of brain injury, I cannot imagine a scenario where I vote for Trump.    

Foxnews hates Trump.  They've been trying to tank him constantly for months.  There's tons of antiTrump articles every day in the MSM.  Rubio or any establishment replican of the Caddyshack Judge Smails variety is their choice.

Ted Cruz did eat a booger like Spaulding at the last debate though.

[The True Adonis]

i've always considered carson to be a highly medicated businessman.

He used religion more as a recruitment tool.  An ACTUAL religious person wouldn't have just MADE UP all those little lies like he did, since that would be a sin.  Carson just made up stories on the fly, these little parables to show he related to things.  Restaurant robberies at gunpoint that magically were never reported, for example.

I think, like Obama, Carson isn't really all that religious - he just exploits the highly religious because they need more role models to support in a field full of snakey Trumps and Rubios.

He believes the lies he makes up to some degree.  He has been doing this his entire life.  Its not a new behavior at all.

Carson IS EXTREMELY religious.  Did you not see pictures of the inside of his house?  He has ALWAYS been highly religious.  Why make excuses for him?

[240 is Back]

He believes the lies he makes up to some degree.  He has been doing this his entire life.  Its not a new behavior at all.

Carson IS EXTREMELY religious.  Did you not see pictures of the inside of his house?  He has ALWAYS been highly religious.  Why make excuses for him?

I'm not making excuses - I think most super religious people DO NOT have a portrait of them with Jesus in bath robes, or whatever he had there.

I think he had that made so he could really PROVE to people hoe religious he was.

He made up a LOT of little lies along the way.  His life was just packed with these little parables, these little events that didn't really happen and taught a lesson and showed he learned wisdom.  Unless, of course, he felt it was cool to just make shit up because it taught a lesson, who knows.  He lied nonstop tho.

[James]

Trump won Louisiana by only 3 points. Hey, a victory is still a victory, right? Not in these primaries. It's all about momentum and racking up big margins. And Trump was winning in early voting 55 to 22... and lost the same-day vote! He escaped with (so far) a single delegate more than Cruz.

Meanwhile, in Kansas, Trump was supposed to win Kansas. After his crappy debate performance, he raced to Kansas to seal the deal, canceling a CPAC conference to rally Kansas voters. He failed miserably. Despite leading by 6 to 12 points in the polls, he lost by 25.

Maine was supposed to be such a walk in the park for Trump that no-one even bothered polling. Trump had won New Hampshire by 23 and Massachusetts by 31. Unlike those states, he didn't get clobbered by tens of millions of dollars of ads, and had the endorsement of the governor. He ended up losing by 14.

Trump is polling disastrously poorly in the general election, losing badly to Clinton in the same polls that show Rubio and Trump winning... and that was before he denounced by Romney, defeated by Cruz in elections, and humiliated at the debates. Even if he ends up winning the most delegates, it's getting hard to see how he wins a majority. The likely outcome ... even if he stanches the bleeding ... is a brokered convention, which he will certainly lose.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3405696/posts

[240 is Back]

No matter what, the GOP nominee arrives bloodied and probably low on $.   

Just.  As.  Clintons.  Planned.  It.   

[240 is Back]

Trump won Louisiana by only 3 points. Hey, a victory is still a victory, right? Not in these primaries. It's all about momentum and racking up big margins. And Trump was winning in early voting 55 to 22... and lost the same-day vote! He escaped with (so far) a single delegate more than Cruz.

Meanwhile, in Kansas, Trump was supposed to win Kansas. After his crappy debate performance, he raced to Kansas to seal the deal, canceling a CPAC conference to rally Kansas voters. He failed miserably. Despite leading by 6 to 12 points in the polls, he lost by 25.

Maine was supposed to be such a walk in the park for Trump that no-one even bothered polling. Trump had won New Hampshire by 23 and Massachusetts by 31. Unlike those states, he didn't get clobbered by tens of millions of dollars of ads, and had the endorsement of the governor. He ended up losing by 14.

Trump is polling disastrously poorly in the general election, losing badly to Clinton in the same polls that show Rubio and Trump winning... and that was before he denounced by Romney, defeated by Cruz in elections, and humiliated at the debates. Even if he ends up winning the most delegates, it's getting hard to see how he wins a majority. The likely outcome ... even if he stanches the bleeding ... is a brokered convention, which he will certainly lose.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3405696/posts

Trump probably peaked 2 weeks ago.  But I think we'd all be shocked if he loses FL or OH. 

LOL if he gets juuuuust enough delegates to win it.  He gets 51%, the party hates him, the repubs lose a shitload of congressional seats with the anti-Trump sentiment... and clinton wins easily. 

[Dos Equis]

Delegate count after "Super Saturday" (and Sunday):

Donald Trump  384
Ted Cruz  300
Marco Rubio  151
John Kasich  37
Ben Carson  8
Jeb Bush  4
Carly Fiorina  1
Mike Huckabee  1
Rand Paul  1

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/2016/presidential-primary-caucus-results

[Dos Equis]

Ben Stein: Trump is 'dangerously misinformed'
By Ashley Young, CNN
March 2, 2016 | Video Source: CNN

(CNN)Conservative commentator Ben Stein on Wednesday said that he would not vote for GOP front-runner Donald Trump and even highlighted Democratic candidates that he liked.

"I went to law school with Mrs. (Hillary) Clinton, so I've always had a kind of fondness for her," said Stein, a former speechwriter for Republican Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, told CNN's Carol Costello.

Stein, whose career also includes stints as an attorney, actor and game show host, said Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders' proposed universal health care proposal was well-intentioned. Stein recalled writing a memo in the Nixon administration advocating similar goals.

On the 2016 White House race Stein said he "would like to see it to be a Republican. I've never voted for a Democrat, but Mr. Trump I think is dangerously misinformed. I like him, but he's dangerously misinformed," Stein said.

Stein did defend Trump over the recent firestorm that ensued after not initially disavowing the Ku Klux Klan's support. Trump's response to the incident is being mischaracterized by GOP presidential rival Marco Rubio.

"I love Marco Rubio, but I think he's really hanging an albatross around Mr. Trump's neck that doesn't deserve to be there. Mr. Trump definitely did disavow the Ku Klux Klan and to say otherwise is simply not true."

Still, Stein seemed to leaning toward backing the Florida senator.

"If I could just snap my fingers and have anyone, it would be Marco Rubio," Stein said. "But I think he's been a little bit disingenuous lately."

Stein also said that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's endorsement of Trump -- the highest GOP establishment figure to do so -- would lead the Republican party down the wrong path. The results could rival GOP nominee Barry Goldwater's epic defeat in 1964 at the hands of President Lyndon Johnson.

"I think he made a mistake getting on the Trump bandwagon," he said. "And I just hope that bandwagon does not drag the whole party out to sea and sink us like the Goldwater bandwagon did when I was a young man. I don't want to see that happen again to the Republican Party, but I'm afraid that's what's coming down the road."

http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/02/politics/ben-stein-donald-trump-misinformed/?iid=ob_article_footer_expansion&iref=obinsite

[Dos Equis]

Orlando Sentinel Endorsement: Rubio 'Could Be Last Chance' to Stop Trump

Image: Orlando Sentinel Endorsement: Rubio 'Could Be Last Chance' to Stop Trump (Wire Services Photo)
By Cathy Burke   |   Friday, 04 Mar 2016

Sen. Marco Rubio "could be the last chance" for Florida voters to throw up a roadblock" to GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump's trek to the nomination, the Orlando Sentinel says in an endorsement of the Florida lawmaker.

"We recommend Florida Republicans cast their ballots for another Sunshine State leader," the editorial board writes."Unlike Trump, Rubio has the knowledge and judgment to be president."

The newspaper's nod was the second in Florida in as many days. On Thursday, the Miami Herald endorsed Rubio, calling him a "consistent favorite among traditional conservative organizations."

In the Sentinel endorsement – which was at least as much an anti-Trump attack – the paper argues the brash billionaire's popularity is based on his status as an "outsider," but that his judgment can't be trusted.

"Trump also has trouble with the truth," the editorial board writes. "Politifact analyzed 77 statements from him in 2015 and rated three-quarters as mostly false, false or pants-on-fire lies."

The newspaper added its disapproval of Trump's remarks against Mexican immigrants, Muslims, "people with disabilities and prisoners of war" and women.

And the paper said lack of details for Trump's policy plans contrasts with Rubio's focus on budget deficits free trade that "generates thousands of jobs and billions of economic activity in the Sunshine State."

The paper also took a swipe at contender Sen. Ted Cruz, calling him an "ideologue known for leading the 2013 government shutdown. He's so toxic that not even one of his Senate colleagues has stepped forward to endorse him. Nor would we."

Florida's primary is March 15.

http://www.newsmax.com/Headline/orlando-sentinel-endorses-marco-rubio-stop/2016/03/04/id/717566/#ixzz42F5Cnu8F

[Dos Equis]

Ben Shapiro Explains Why He’ll ‘Never’ Vote for Trump

JOHN GURZINSKI/GettyJOHN GURZINSKI/Getty
by BREITBART NEWS
5 Mar 2016

On Friday, Breitbart News editor-at-large and DailyWire.com editor-in-chief announced that he would never vote for Donald Trump.

While co-hosting his KRLA 870 AM and KTIE 590 AM radio shows in Southern California, Shapiro said:

As you know, I’ve been agonizing on air over whether I would ever vote for Donald Trump. And I’m starting to come down firmly in the #NeverTrump camp. I will never vote for this man. I will not pull the lever for this man. I will not pull the lever for him in a general election or in a primary. It’s not going to happen. And the reason is that if conservatives never say “no” at some point, then they’re never going to have the opportunity to say “yes.” Because the logic of the Republican Party is, “the conservatives are going to be forced to vote for whomever we choose, that whomever we put out there, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ)36%
 or Mitt Romney or Donald Trump, we’re going to put that person out there and we’re just going to make you vote for that person because they’re better than Hillary Clinton, or better than Barack Obama.” If you don’t say no at some point, gang, you’re never going to get a nominee to whom you can actually proudly stand up and say yes. You’re always going to be the sucker, because they can just take your vote for granted.

Asked later in the show about the possibility of Hillary being elected if conservatives failed to show up for Trump, Shapiro stated:

Am I willing to risk a Hillary presidency not to vote for Trump? The answer is yes. The reason the answer is yes is because I am not going to watch the only party that has a possibility of reflecting conservatism descend into this. I’m just not going to do it. I’m not going to be complicit in the death of the conservative movement at the hands of Donald Trump. If we’re going to have an opposition, let it be the opposition, let us not be our own opposition. I thought this whole battle was about taking the party back from the establishment. And so the idea is that we’re now going to hand it over to the one person who is going to destroy – he’s not going to destroy the establishment – but destroy the possibility of conservatism? In 1964, Republicans lost badly to Lyndon Baines Johnson. Without that happening, there is no Ronald Reagan. In 1976, they rebelled against Gerald Ford. Without that happening, there is no Ronald Reagan. So, if we actually want to have a conservative leader at any point in the future, not just an Arnold Schwarzenegger Republican, at some point we’re going to have to stand up on our hind legs and say no. And it seems to me starting with the guy who’s happy to appeal to a bunch of people who like the KKK, that starting with the guy who’s happy to talk about the size of his genitalia on national television and endorse Planned Parenthood, that starting with the guy who has undermined every conservative principle at some point during this race, that might be a good place to start. Because otherwise, your vote as a conservative doesn’t matter. Listen, if all you do is every four years, you just pull the lever for the guy who’s the least of two available options, the least bad of two available options, if that’s all you do, you’re never going to get somebody you actually like. All you’re going to have is the best of two bad options, and then the country just slides toward the cliff at 30 mph as opposed to 60.

Later in the day, at Daily Wire, Shapiro posted an essay on his decision to support the #NeverTrump movement:

I will never vote for Donald Trump because I stand with certain principles. I stand with small government and free markets and religious freedom and personal responsibility. Donald Trump stands against all of these things. He stands for Planned Parenthood and trade restrictions and targeting of political enemies and an anti-morality foreign policy and government domination of religion and nastiness toward women and tacit appeals to racism and unbounded personal power. I stand with the Constitution of the United States, and its embedded protection of my God-given rights through governmental checks and balances. Donald Trump does not. I stand with conservatism. Donald Trump stands against it…. Why in the world would conservatives live with President Hillary Clinton on their consciences?

Because first, it’s not on our consciences. It’s on the consciences of the people who went along with this nomination. We did not select Trump. We will not vote for him.

And if we are going to save the country, it will not rest on one or two justices on the Supreme Court. It will rest on the will of the people to resist tyranny. That will start at the state and local level. It will start with the people.

It will start with conservatives willing to say “no.”….

In every election cycle, the establishment insists that we unify behind a candidate who does not reflect conservatism because elections are always a choice between the two worst options. They blackmail conservatives into supporting candidates who undermine the message and morality of our mission. Now Trump does the same. The establishment created the Donald Trump phenomenon with their “best of two bad options” logic, and now Trump is using that logic to destroy conservatism openly. The establishment doesn’t object to Trumpism. They only object to Trump. Strip the drunken boor antics from Trump, and you’ve got John McCain who will lie transparently to pander to the populist wing….

Now is the time to say no.

“No” is a useful tool. If conservatives don’t say “no” to Nelson Rockefeller in 1964, there is no Ronald Reagan. If conservatives don’t say “no” to Gerald Ford in 1976 and George H.W. Bush in 1980, there is no Ronald Reagan. And if we don’t say “no” to Donald Trump now, we will continue drifting ever further left, diluting conservatism into the vacillating, demagogic absurdity of Trumpism. Conservatism will become the crypto-racist, pseudo-strong, quasi-tyrannical, toxic brew leftists have always accused it of being.

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/03/05/ben-shapiro-explains-why-hell-never-vote-for-trump/

[Dos Equis]

Wash Post: Rubio Campaign in 'Meltdown'

Image: Wash Post: Rubio Campaign in 'Meltdown' (Getty Images)
By Loren Gutentag   |   Monday, 07 Mar 2016

Despite picking up a series of high-profile endorsements in Kansas on Friday, Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio finished a disappointing third in the state's caucus on Saturday, and according to The Washington Post, Rubio backers bemoaned the results, as well as the campaign that produced them.

"I felt I had a dog in the fight, and it hurt me personally when I thought we were going to win," said Republican Sen. James M. Inhofe of Oklahoma, another state where Rubio came in behind candidates Ted Cruz and Donald Trump.

"The thing is, when Rubio was there, the enthusiasm was so great, better than the others. He had a great reception. If everything had been equal in terms of appearances and organization, he would have won Oklahoma."

Although Rubio backers stand firmly on their belief that Trump would be a political disaster if he won the nomination, many do not believe the Florida senator or his campaign is doing enough to win against the real estate mogul.

While Rubio has lost 18 out of 20 nominating contests so far, he is banking on his ability to win his home state's 99 delegates.

However, according the Post, "even if he prevails in Florida's winner-take-all contest, it will be difficult for him to secure enough delegates before the party convention in July, meaning he would have to try to win the nomination in an unpredictable floor fight."

"They have no infrastructure," said Scott Reed, the chief political strategist for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

"His campaign hasn't been able to keep up with his candidacy . . . They don't have the operation in the states to help him get over the top. He should be a finalist going all the way to California, and he's not."

According to recent polls, Rubio still trails Trump in Florida, however, with just $5.1 million in his campaign account at the beginning of February, "Rubio is relying on super PACs to air millions of dollars in attack ads against the front-runner," reports the Post.

In terms of the money spent for TV ads on Super Saturday, CNN reports that Rubio has spent nearly twice as much in TV advertising per vote as all other candidates combined.

While Rubio spent $1.46 per vote, it seems reasonable until compared with other candidates — Republican and Democratic — with the second highest amount spent 48 cents per vote in Sen. Bernie Sander's campaign.

Among Rubio backers, there is disagreement regarding his decision to aggressively attack Trump.

While some believe the attacks are damaging Rubio's image, Rubio's senior adviser told the Post that "we would be more than happy to check the insults at the door and focus on policy and focus on each candidate's vision for the future of the country, but if the price we have to pay to get the media to cover the substance of our campaign is to mix it up a little bit, then we're not opposed to doing that."

Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., added, "I think it's important to stay on topic and stay on the policy contrasts and differences . . . I just don't think the substantive criticisms of Trump have really come out as much as they should," Scott continued.

"I understand the role the president plays in the world. You can't be a showman."

http://www.newsmax.com/Headline/Washington-Post-Rubio-Campaign-Meltdown/2016/03/07/id/717823/#ixzz42F6e651v

[240 is Back]

Wash Post: Rubio Campaign in 'Meltdown'

I think it boiled down to his lack of conservative values. 

[Dos Equis]

Somewhat consistent with Silver's current projection which has Trump up by 3.6 percent. 

Monmouth Poll: Trump Leads Rubio in Florida

Image: Monmouth Poll: Trump Leads Rubio in Florida   Donald Trump (Photo by RHONA WISE/AFP/Getty Images) 
 By Cathy Burke   |    Monday, 07 Mar 2016

Sen. Marco Rubio is closing the gap with GOP presidential primary front-runner Donald Trump in a likely make-or-break primary contest for the Florida lawmaker in his home state, a new poll shows.

In the Monmouth University survey released Monday, Trump is leading Rubio by 8 points.

 Here's the breakdown: •Trump: 38 percent
•Rubio: 30 percent
•Texas Sen. Ted Cruz: 17 percent
•Ohio Gov. John Kasich: 10 percent

A Public Policy Polling survey last month gave the real estate billionaire a 20 point margin over Rubio, as did One America News Network and Gravis Marketing poll.

Florida's contest March 15 is a winner-take-all race for 99 delegates — and one that could re-ignite or stifle Rubio's primary run.

According to the new poll, Rubio leads the front-runner among the approximate 1 in 5 voters who have already cast their ballots, 48 percent to 23 percent.

"Rarely will you hear a poll called 'good news' for a candidate when it has him down 8 points in his home state, but this really is the most encouraging news Rubio's had in ages," the website HotAir.com writes in a commentary.

"And the best news anti-Trumpers have had since, well, Saturday afternoon."

The commentary points out Rubio's impressive lead in the early voting is "way, way off from what most people expect."

"It's Trump who's supposed to be cleaning up in the early vote, not Rubio," HotAir.com writes. "Trump's the one who's been leading in the polls there for months and Trump's the one with the most enthusiastic voters. If anyone's banking votes early, you'd expect it to be him."

Trump leads among those who haven't voted yet, 42 percent to 26 percent.

 In a hypothetical head-to-head vote between Trump and Rubio in Florida, Trump edges out Rubio 47 percent to 45 percent, according to the poll.

"Rubio is within shooting distance in his home state with a week to go in this volatile nomination contest," Patrick Murray, director of the university's Polling Institute says in a statement. "It is telling, though, that Rubio is not even the clear victor in a direct face off with Trump…"

The poll's margin of error is plus or minus 4.9 percentage points.

http://www.newsmax.com/Headline/trump-leads-rubio-florida/2016/03/07/id/717909/#ixzz42GB9hXVT