Rubio Demolishes Trump in Puerto Rico

[unIowa]

Marco is done guys...sorry but he just is and a PR win certainly doesn't change narrative. Marco will lose FL as the drum-beat has already started for him to get out of the race, Donald is calling for it and Ted is calling for it. He is wounded and Don and Ted know it, Puerto Rico changes nothing, Marco's campaign is dead man walking right now.

 

[The Tradition]

But they don't pay federal income tax. Is that right?

Sounds unnatural to me.

Given the state of their economy, those who suggest that we'll be better off if we eliminate the income tax might want to have a rethink.

You might want to read up on taxation in Puerto Rico.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxation_in_Puerto_Rico

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

I'd bet on Paul Ryan before Mitt. However, I don't think it will work that way. It will be Kasich, Cruz, or Rubio and one of the other two will be the veep.

As I said at the very beginning, some combination of Florida and Ohio gives the GOP the best bet.

With Jeb out, that leaves Kasich-Rubio or Rubio-Kasich.

Even though I'm no Kasich fan, I'd pick the ticket with him on top.

How about you?

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Marco is done guys...sorry but he just is and a PR win certainly doesn't change narrative. Marco will lose FL as the drum-beat has already started for him to get out of the race, Donald is calling for it and Ted is calling for it. He is wounded and Don and Ted know it, Puerto Rico changes nothing, Marco's campaign is dead man walking right now.

I think Rubio hurt himself with his childish attacks on Trump. Not that Trump deserves any sympathy, but Marco made himself look unserious. He's been struggling to combat the sense that he is an unexperienced lightweight and until recently had been doing quite well. But he seems to be backsliding.

Sadly, his decline doesn't seem to be helping Kasich. Much to be preferred over Cruz.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

I'd bet on Paul Ryan before Mitt. However, I don't think it will work that way. It will be Kasich, Cruz, or Rubio and one of the other two will be the veep.

I thought that when Ryan replaced Boehner. But, as I said at the time, he will need to show he can get the business of Congress done if he wants another promotion. So far he has not done that.

 

[dandh]

But they don't pay federal income tax. Is that right?

Yes and no. It's complicated. Basically, citizens who are residents of Puerto Rico don't pay US federal income tax on Puerto Rican income (but do pay on worldwide income). Also, self-employment tax must be filed and is owed on all income almost all of the time.

 

[83Hawk]

I'd bet on Paul Ryan before Mitt. However, I don't think it will work that way. It will be Kasich, Cruz, or Rubio and one of the other two will be the veep.

That is what I'm thinking too, but you never know what will happen.

 

[StonesCat]

Saw a Fox 2 Detroit poll today thats been tracking Michigan. Where Kasich and Rubio were about even, today Kasich is 20 Rubio 9. I was always skeptical of his strategy, but if he could finish 2nd in Michigan I could actually see a scenario where Kasich could win Ohio and get hot. He has a good shot in a lot of the more moderate upcoming states with momentum at his back.

 

[dandh]

I think Rubio hurt himself with his childish attacks on Trump. Not that Trump deserves any sympathy, but Marco made himself look unserious. He's been struggling to combat the sense that he is an unexperienced lightweight and until recently had been doing quite well. But he seems to be backsliding.

Sadly, his decline doesn't seem to be helping Kasich. Much to be preferred over Cruz.

I think Rubio had to do it to slow Trump. No one else was, so he stepped up. That is now done, he's explaining it as giving Donald a small taste of what Trump has been giving out for over a year. It's obviously not part of Rubio's nature, nor something he prefers to do. I think the next debate will give a lot of insight into how it's going to go.

Rubio will continue to hammer The Donald as being a con artist, because Trump does say whatever he needs to at the time. He takes no stands on principle, just says whatever he thinks will work at the time. Trump should create a Waffle House franchise business - it would be great, just great. All those other guys can't hold a candle to The Donald when it comes to waffling.

 

[dandh]

As I said at the very beginning, some combination of Florida and Ohio gives the GOP the best bet.

With Jeb out, that leaves Kasich-Rubio or Rubio-Kasich.

Even though I'm no Kasich fan, I'd pick the ticket with him on top.

How about you?

Rubio's a lot more charismatic. However, with the meme being sounded that Rubio is the "establishment" candidate, Kasich might work better. With that being said, it's way too early to tell.

 

[unIowa]

I think Rubio hurt himself with his childish attacks on Trump. Not that Trump deserves any sympathy, but Marco made himself look unserious. He's been struggling to combat the sense that he is an unexperienced lightweight and until recently had been doing quite well. But he seems to be backsliding.

Sadly, his decline doesn't seem to be helping Kasich. Much to be preferred over Cruz.

Yep...some people can get away with that sort of act (like a reality TV personality) but if you are going to play the traditional politician role it will never work out for you. Ted Cruz played it brilliantly when he stayed, mostly, out of the childish mudslinging that Marco got himself into.

I think Kasich is just holding on in hopes that candidate attrition gets him some momentum. It might work but it won't get him the nomination and unfortunately I don't think he is a guy that would play VP for Cruz and Trump.

Traditional repubs need to not fool themselves, this is now a two man race.

 

[ottumwan in tx]

Yep...some people can get away with that sort of act (like a reality TV personality) but if you are going to play the traditional politician role it will never work out for you. Ted Cruz played it brilliantly when he stayed, mostly, out of the childish mudslinging that Marco got himself into.

I think Kasich is just holding on in hopes that candidate attrition gets him some momentum. It might work but it won't get him the nomination and unfortunately I don't think he is a guy that would play VP for Cruz and Trump.

Traditional repubs need to not fool themselves, this is now a two man race.

actually one man-hillary

 

[fredjr82]

You might want to read up on taxation in Puerto Rico.

I'm sorry but did you say the Annexation of Puerto Rico? One of my favorite football plays of all time

 

[Huey Grey]

There are over 500,000 registered Republicans who are Latino in Florida. 60% of these are either Cuban or Puerto Rican, with 9% being Mexican and the rest from varied other countries. This is a closed primary, so the crossover Democrat vote won't help Trump in this one. I'd say Rubio has a great shot at all 99 delegates, which puts him right back into the thick of things.

Weekend delegates gained:

Cruz 69
Trump 53
Rubio 41

Trump is clearly fading. Cruzio gained over twice as many delegates as Trump over the weekend.

I think some of you are really getting your hopes up here. Currently Nate Silver gives Trump a 69% of winning Florida. Rubes has a 31% chance. It's going to be awfully difficult for Marco to overcome a 38 point disadvantage. The polls could be off by a full 30 points, entirely in Rubio's favor, and Trump still easily has him beat.

 

[The Tradition]

I think some of you are really getting your hopes up here. Currently Nate Silver gives Trump a 69% of winning Florida. Rubes has a 31% chance. It's going to be awfully difficult for Marco to overcome a 38 point disadvantage. The polls could be off by a full 30 points, entirely in Rubio's favor, and Trump still easily has him beat.

New poll out today. See the new thread about it.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Saw a Fox 2 Detroit poll today thats been tracking Michigan. Where Kasich and Rubio were about even, today Kasich is 20 Rubio 9. I was always skeptical of his strategy, but if he could finish 2nd in Michigan I could actually see a scenario where Kasich could win Ohio and get hot. He has a good shot in a lot of the more moderate upcoming states with momentum at his back.

Kasich has 2 problems.

The problem that everyone can see is that he is sort of goofy. He keeps saying that he is a serious person who has the temperament and track record to be trusted with the most important job on the planet, but his delivery just undercuts him.

Less obvious is that his views are too much like Scott Walker's. Which is to say that if he gets traction, I expect the Koch money to go to work for him. Which should scare sensible people who care about America.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

I think Rubio had to do it to slow Trump. No one else was, so he stepped up. That is now done, he's explaining it as giving Donald a small taste of what Trump has been giving out for over a year. It's obviously not part of Rubio's nature, nor something he prefers to do.

There's where I disagree and where Rubio's camp made a mistake. Unless you already liked Rubio (before the race or early in the race) you probably thought Rubio was the kid on the dais. Young, often looked borderline drunk or stoned in public appearances, a bit of a playboy-lightweight, some slippery financial dealings.

He set out - as he very much needed to do - to establish himself as a serious candidate. A candidate who could address the issues with the intelligence and knowledge we'd like to see in our president. He was doing a good job at that for a while - until he started to get pushback. When he got in squabbles with Cruz over immigration and surveillance, he not only looked rattled, he looked like he was shucking and jiving (which he was) to distance himself from his record. And his counterattacks came across as wonkish and difficult to follow (if you aren't a wonk). Then Christie laid into him with the robot comparison and, again, he looked rattled.

And then he became that laughing smirking frat boy with these latest attacks - exactly the image he was trying to shed.

If I am Cruz, I pick and choose from those frat boy highlights to drive home that Rubio isn't ready for prime time. Emphasizing that his good performances in the debates were the well-practiced exceptions and the jokey cheap-shot artist is what you'll end up with if you vote for Rubio.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Yep...some people can get away with that sort of act (like a reality TV personality) but if you are going to play the traditional politician role it will never work out for you. Ted Cruz played it brilliantly when he stayed, mostly, out of the childish mudslinging that Marco got himself into.

I think Kasich is just holding on in hopes that candidate attrition gets him some momentum. It might work but it won't get him the nomination and unfortunately I don't think he is a guy that would play VP for Cruz and Trump.

Traditional repubs need to not fool themselves, this is now a two man race.

I suspect Kasich would accept the VP offer from either Cruz or Trump. Not happily. But why not?

Give Kasich a good win in Ohio and 1 more "real" state - Michigan tomorrow or Illinois or Missouri next week - and unless Cruz has vaulted into the lead, Kasich could be the candidate people will settle for.

But I don't expect that to happen.

 

[joelbc1]

Rubio 74%, Trump 14. So much for Trump doing well with Latinos.

how'd the "white folks" vote?

 

[Hawk-A-Doodle-Doo]

Rubio demolishes Trump in Puerto Rico.

Gross.


Oh.

Sorry Natural.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

 

[dandh]

how'd the "white folks" vote?

Most of the Latinos in Puerto Rico are white, so it looks like they voted for Rubio.

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

How many states has Rubio won again?

 

[The Tradition]

How many states has Rubio won again?

One plus a territory.

But he has 151 delegates. If he takes the 99 in Florida, it's a new ballgame.

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

One plus a territory.

But he has 151 delegates. If he takes the 99 in Florida, it's a new ballgame.

Good for him at winning Puerto Rico. You guys are grasping at straws now though. There are two candidates that have legitimate paths to the nomination via delegates and that's Donald Trump and Ted Cruz. Rubio winning Florida may prevent either of them from reaching 1,237, but Rubio himself will not be reaching that. In fact, he needs around 80% of the remaining delegates just to get there.

Rubio robot is going to come in fourth in Michigan on Tuesday night, my prediction is that he will not even break 10%. What will your spin be then?

 

[83Hawk]

Kasich is obviously staying in the race with dreams of leveraging the Ohio delegates into a VP spot.

Not sure what Rubio thinks he is going to accomplish. Maybe the establishment promised him a VP slot if he can take Florida away from Cruz and Trump.

 

[joelbc1]

Most of the Latinos in Puerto Rico are white, so it looks like they voted for Rubio.

In America, by definition, you can't be white AND Latino......one or the other. Either 4 us or agin us.