Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump Both Had a Super Tuesday
Super Tuesday was very good to Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, who both won in seven states, demonstrating a broad base of support across the country.
Hillary ended up with decisive victories in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia, leaving Bernie Sanders, by closer margins, wins in Colorado, Minnesota, Oklahoma and Vermont.
And on the Republican side, Trump captured Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Massachusetts, Tenneesee, Vermont and Virginia. Ted Cruz won in three states—Alaska, Oklahoma and Texas, and in the biggest burnout of the night, Marco Rubio won only one state: Minnesota.
Rubio did come close to winning another state—Virginia, where he came within three points of beating out Trump. Had John Kasich or Ben Carson not been in the race, he might have had a chance. It was, according to BuzzFeed, an upsetting outcome for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has reportedly become “increasingly frustrated” with Kasich and is expected to try to push Kasich out.
Republicans are now painting votes for Kasich—who has indicated he’s staying in the race at least until March 15 Ohio primary—as a vote for Trump.
A Senate GOP insider openly questioned in an interview with BuzzFeed News whether Kasich had some inside deal with Trump. “You have to believe Kasich has made a deal with the devil. Why else is he still in the race? Kasich needs to look GOP voters in the eye and tell us whether he has a deal — explicit or implicit — with Donald Trump for a spot on the ticket.”
Other Republicans echoed similar sentiments.
“I like John Kasich, but no one is doing more to elect Donald Trump than Kasich is right now,” said Curt Anderson, who previously ran Bobby Jindal’s campaign. Jindal has since endorsed Rubio.
“He will be in single digits in most states tonight, and there is no route to victory for him, regardless of what fiction [Kasich chief strategist] John Weaver tries to spin,” Anderson said. “If he stays in this race, Donald Trump will forever be in his debt.”
Kasich, for his part, has indicated he would like to join the sad GOP insult club.
“Sen. Rubio has been more hyped than Crystal Pepsi, but he has flopped even worse,” reads a Kasich campaign memo circulated last night.
