New Florida Poll Casts Doubt On Rubio’s Claim to Be Trump Stopper
February 25, 2016 — 1:50 PM EST
Of the three plausible alternatives to Donald Trump, Marco Rubio is the only candidate who is trailing considerably in his home state, according to early polling. Ted Cruz leads comfortably in Texas, while John Kasich is within striking distance in Ohio.
A Florida poll released Thursday by Quinnipiac found Trump leading Rubio by a margin of 44 to 28 percent with likely Republican voters. Trump led with nearly every sub-group: with all ages, both sexes, and all ideologies, including Tea Party voters and evangelicals, and with voters without a college degree. Rubio led among voters with a college degree.
Meanwhile, a poll by Monmouth released Thursday found Cruz ahead of Trump by 15 points in Texas, which votes on March 1. And a poll by Quinnipiac released Tuesday found Kasich trailing Trump by 5 points, just outside the margin of error, in Ohio, which votes March 15.
The surveys highlight the existential crisis facing the Republican establishment five days before Super Tuesday. Trump, who has swept three consecutive states, is poised to score more victories and extend his delegate lead, and these results throw more cold water onto hopes of unifying the GOP vote behind an alternative.
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http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-02-25/rubio-is-only-potential-trump-stopper-trailing-big-in-home-state