Things aren’t looking good for Marco Rubio in his home state of Florida, at least according to local political insiders.
In the latest Tampa Bay Times Florida Insider poll, nine out of 10 people surveyed expect Rubio to lose the Sunshine State’s March 15 presidential primary to Donald Trump. Another nine in 10 expect Trump to be the Republican nominee in the general election.
More than eight in 10 of the 160 Florida politicos surveyed said that the Florida senator should suspend his campaign if and when he does lose his home state.
“I’m resigned to the fact that Donald Trump is going to be the nominee. Rubio or Cruz can’t stop him. My wishful fantasy is someone would step forward as either a third party candidate or someone delegates could rally around. The meat and potatoes Republicans who are voting for Trump are blowing up this party, and it’s a crying shame,” said one Republican.
Said another: “Trump is going to knock out Rubio on March 15, and Rubio will cost himself a chance to run for governor in 2018 after getting embarrassed in his home state.”
Two-thirds surveyed said it would be unwise for Florida Gov. Rick Scott to endorse Trump, and another four in 10 (43 percent) said a contested convention would be wise for the GOP to attempt to stop Trump from being the nominee.
Sixty-nine percent also said Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton would beat Trump in the general election.
The Florida Insider Poll, which is an unscientific survey of Florida’s political class, included 59 Democrats, 90 Republicans and 10 people registered to neither major political party.
View their names here.
