Republican Candidates Descend Upon Georgia Ahead of SEC Primary
With the March 1st SEC primary under a week away here in Georgia, candidates competing for the Republican nomination have begun descending upon the Peach State. With campaign offices opening and developing event schedules, the candidates are all making their own efforts with their eyes on the 76 delegates that Georgia has to offer.
The Rubio campaign kicked it into full gear in Georgia on Monday night, opening their official Georgia campaign headquarters in Atlanta. The event drew a large crowd, making it impossible for some attendees to even make it all the way into the room. The crowd exhibited great diversity along with many newcomers to the political process here in Georgia. For many, this will be their first time volunteering with a presidential campaign, and many of the volunteers and supporters were eager to get involved in the week ahead.
Congressman Austin Scott, Rubio’s campaign chairman in Georgia, headlined the office opening and made his pitch to those in the room as to why he believes that Senator Rubio should be the party’s nominee. He emphasized the Senator Rubio is in the race in order to truly make a difference, not just a point like some of the other candidates. Congressman Scott also spoke highly of Senator Rubio’s record on national security and defense stating,
“Marco is a fact-based decision maker that can be trusted as our Commander in Chief.”
Scott also worked to draw a contrast between Rubio and Senator Ted Cruz whom he said is one of the “only Republicans he could think of that voted ‘No’ on the National Defense Authorization Act.” The campaign also had its Senior Adviser for Conservative Outreach, Gary Marx, at the event to speak in regards to Rubio’s credentials as a true conservative, citing the senator’s many 100% ratings with various conservative organizations.
Other presidential campaigns are scheduled to make appearances in Georgia ahead of March 1st, as well. Governor John Kasich will be hosting a town hall at Kennesaw State University today at noon, and Sandy Springs at 5:30 PM. Kasich will also address the Georgia House this morning. Donald Trump will be making an appearance at Valdosta State next Monday, February 29th at 6 pm. There have also been rumblings of Ted Cruz events in the state throughout the next week, but the campaign’s website does not have any confirmed events listed thus far. Nonetheless, one thing is abundantly clear: the 2016 campaign has officially arrived here in Georgia.
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Rumors flying that Trump and Rubio have cut a deal. They will beat up Cruz, and Rubio will be rewarded with VP slot. Do you think this will happen?
In a word, No. The closest base of supporters is actually Rubio’s and Cruz. Despite what certain other pundits have been selling, very few “establishment” Republicans are comfortable with Trump and would not want to work with him – or trust him on any deal.
I’m not expecting any deal of any sort before next Tuesday. Cruz camp had a really bad day yesterday and haven’t been “on message” for a bit. They’ve got a few days to get it together. If not, (and after seeing if Kasich can make any inroads in the South), I think we’ll see how the natural order of who is set to make a deal and who isn’t. That said, I think the biggest currency anyone has to make or accept a deal is “stop Trump”.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2016/02/22/cruz_i_fired_rick_tyler_for_spreading_false_story_about_rubio_and_the_bible.html
Charlie, do you think Cruz should of fired Rick? My 2 cents, I think it played into the narrative of Cruz not playing by the rules. I thought Rick was the best spokesperson from the Cruz campaign. Rick came across way more policy focus, and less hard line spewing in my opinion. BTW, I would bet you know him, I do not recall ever meeting him.
As one of my friends said yesterday, “I hate it when we reach the point a campaign where we have to decide how far up the chain of command we have to go to offer a sacrificial lamb.”
Cruz had a horrible week leading up to Iowa. He’s had a bad week in/post South Carolina. A lot of self-inflicted wounds. His head was apparently the price.
As for “should”, I’m not in that campaign nor near enough to it, nor do I know enough on the specifics of how that video came to be to say. My friends that are are equally divided on whether he should have or hadn’t been.
I’m skeptical. Rubio still wants to win.
They have been descending in the Savannah area for months. Bernie took over the Johnny Mercer with about 400 people after Thanksgiving. Ted was here in October. Anyone doing a tour south of Charleston will hit Hilton Head, Sun City and Beaufort. They are all in the Savannah media market, and they either arrive or leave via the Savannah airport. Thank God Bush left the field, the Right to Rise commercials annoyed me to no end the last three weeks. The Rubio commercial that started to air before Christmas, was almost word for word used in his Iowa speech.
I’d like to see Kasich and Rubio be a little daring—up the ante for next Tuesday. Each should pledge if they are shut out that day—o for 13 in the primaries and caucuses that day, as in not a single win next Tuesday (which is possible), then each will drop out of the race. After all, how will a zero for 17 scenario (not a single win in 17 primaries and caucuses between Iowa and Super Tuesday) look going into contests the weekend of March 5 and the March 8 and 15 caucuses? Since South Carolina instituted its presidential primary in 1980, I challenge anyone to show me a GOP nominee who went 0 for 4 in early contests (Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada) and still won the nomination?