Cruz was right.

[AJ the TP Guru]

Unfortunately for him, his strategy for winning the R presidential primary did not include one Donald J. Trump.

Had Trump not run, Cruz likely would've already locked up the nomination by now, or be very close to it. Instead, he's fighting for his life vs. The Donald.

As Jason Johnson, Cruz' chief political strategist told George Will last year, undereducated and previously non-voter types were their primary targets.

Well, he was right-on about that one, but a funny thing happened on the way to the forum - Trump confiscated a very high percentage of those voters.

Cruz desperately needs Marco to drop out RIGHT NOW. Florida is winner take all, and finishing second to Trump there won't cut it. He also needs Kasich to go away, but why should he while he leads in Ohio - the state that more than any other has determined the next President.

Cruz is also right about not wanting to see a "contested" Convention. If it is, anything could happen - even a Kasich candidacy.

[Joshua Flournoy]

Unfortunately for him, his strategy for winning the R presidential primary did not include one Donald J. Trump.

Had Trump not run, Cruz likely would've already locked up the nomination by now, or be very close to it. Instead, he's fighting for his life vs. The Donald.

As Jason Johnson, Cruz' chief political strategist told George Will last year, undereducated and previously non-voter types were their primary targets.

Well, he was right-on about that one, but a funny thing happened on the way to the forum - Trump confiscated a very high percentage of those voters.

Cruz desperately needs Marco to drop out RIGHT NOW. Florida is winner take all, and finishing second to Trump there won't cut it. He also needs Kasich to go away, but why should he while he leads in Ohio - the state that more than any other has determined the next President.

Cruz is also right about not wanting to see a "contested" Convention. If it is, anything could happen - even a Kasich candidacy.

Actually, Cruz said this week that he could see a "contested" Convention happening. What he has a problem with is a "brokered" Convention, where someone not even close to the leaders, in delegates, is handed the nomination. There's a difference.

[Charles]

How many delegates are still up for grabs?

Is it even possible for any of the candidates to achieve the necessary delegates at this point?

I haven't been paying much attention to the remaining States and how many delegates each have to offer.

[Ætheling]

How many delegates are still up for grabs?

Is it even possible for any of the candidates to achieve the necessary delegates at this point?

I haven't been paying much attention to the remaining States and how many delegates each have to offer.

Its possible but not on the current course and not likely. Donald and Ted both would have to win a ratio of delegates that neither have done before. Basically if Rubio and Kasich don't bounce there is a more likely than not chance we are going to a convention without a guy picked.

[Gunnyart]

If it goes contested, unfortunately Cruz will not be the pick. The establishment hates him even more than Trump.

[Ætheling]

So Donald is in the lead and by the numbers below has 46 percent of the delegates given so far. He needs 54 percent of the remaining to get to the 1237 needed. Cruz needs a bigger percentage and so on. If Rubio and Kasich stay in and things continue the way they are in terms of the ratio that delegates have been awarded so far no one gets there.

[Charles]

So Donald is in the lead and by the numbers below has 46 percent of the delegates given so far. He needs 54 percent of the remaining to get to the 1237 needed. Cruz needs a bigger percentage and so on. If Rubio and Kasich stay in and things continue the way they are in terms of the ratio that delegates have been awarded so far no one gets there.

Thanks.

[Shane]

Yep. Rubio and Kasich need to drop out now in order to avoid a contested/brokered convention. The only problem though is that a brokered convention is the only hope either one of them have in getting the nomination. They need to do what's right for the country rather than what is right for themselves and the establishment. Not gonna hold my breath for that to happen.

[Charles]

The "establishment" is the one wanting/making them stay in to force a contested/broker convention.

[Neck]

Rubio and Kasich both know full well they can't win. They are choosing self serving interests over their own country.

[Joshua Flournoy]

How many delegates are still up for grabs?

Is it even possible for any of the candidates to achieve the necessary delegates at this point?

I haven't been paying much attention to the remaining States and how many delegates each have to offer.

Trump has less than half the delegates he would need to win the nomination outright, and Cruz is just a little behind that. Rubio and Kasich are way back.

Trump and Cruz could both easily still get the necessary number of delegates to clinch the nomination outright before the convention, depending on what states they win, obviously.

Just for some perspective, Trump has a significant chunk LESS delegates than Romney did at this point in the 2012 GOP primary season. Despite completely hogging all the free media saturation. And Trump's % share of delegates won is actually declining from earlier in the race.

[Joshua Flournoy]

By the way, Utah Senator Mike Lee - one of the top 2 most Conservative Senators in the Senate, with Cruz being the other - is set to endorse Cruz this afternoon. He had held off because he is friends with Rubio as well and didn't want to endorse while both Cruz and Rubio still had a legit shot at the nomination. That he is planning to endorse now sends a signal.

[AJ the TP Guru]

If it goes contested, unfortunately Cruz will not be the pick. The establishment hates him even more than Trump.

Exactly! That is why he is so adamantly against it.

James Garfield wasn't even in the race in 1880, though he had served nine terms in the House of Representatives, and had been elected to the Senate before his candidacy for the White House. He made a speech at the Republican Convention in favor of John Sherman (Sec'y of the Treasury at the time). His speech was so well received that he ended up winning as a compromise candidate on the 36th ballot.

Prediction: IF it does go to Convention without Trump getting 1237, John Kasich will be the guy. Why? Several reasons:

1) As was pointed out above, the so-called Establishment hates Cruz.

2) No way Cruz or Rubio agree to "donate" their delegates to the other.

3) Kasich is the only one who will have won a state (Ohio) who is left standing.

4) Kasich is more "Establishment" than even Rubio.

5) Kasich beats Hillary in polls more so than anyone else.

6) The R's need Ohio bigtime.

7) Kasich has friends after 18 years in Congress and being a successful governor of a key state.

8) Kasich also has answers..... mostly good ones. See him with Greta in a Town Hall meeting on Fox from last night. http://nation.foxnews.com/2016/03/09...ll-john-kasich

[texaggie17]

Exactly! That is why he is so adamantly against it.

James Garfield wasn't even in the race in 1880, though he had served nine terms in the House of Representatives, and had been elected to the Senate before his candidacy for the White House. He made a speech at the Republican Convention in favor of John Sherman (Sec'y of the Treasury at the time). His speech was so well received that he ended up winning as a compromise candidate on the 36th ballot.

Prediction: IF it does go to Convention without Trump getting 1237, John Kasich will be the guy. Why? Several reasons:

1) As was pointed out above, the so-called Establishment hates Cruz.

2) No way Cruz or Rubio agree to "donate" their delegates to the other.

3) Kasich is the only one who will have won a state (Ohio) who is left standing.

4) Kasich is more "Establishment" than even Rubio.

5) Kasich beats Hillary in polls more so than anyone else.

6) The R's need Ohio bigtime.

7) Kasich has friends after 18 years in Congress and being a successful governor of a key state.

8) Kasich also has answers..... mostly good ones. See him with Greta in a Town Hall meeting on Fox from last night. http://nation.foxnews.com/2016/03/09...ll-john-kasich

Call him establishment, but Kasich does have a decent record behind him, and a lot of experience.

[texasdeerhunter]

Call him establishment, but Kasich does have a decent record behind him, and a lot of experience.

This may be true, but there is a reason that the majority of voters aren't voting for him. I think we will wind up with a brokered convention, and worse case scenario is that Trump is not chosen, and he runs independent and torpedos the Republicans chance of winning the presidency