2016 Primary Endorsements megathread.

[Coolface Sock #42069]

What's the over/under on the number of endorsements from sitting governors and members of Congress that Rubio will get within the next week?

I'd say 50 "endorsement points" is by no means out of the question. This crowd will probably be about 2/3 establishment as there will also be some who were deciding between Rubio and Cruz who will pick Rubio since Cruz kind of floundered yesterday.  

I'd go with:

2 governors: Scott Walker and Susana Martinez maybe?
5 senators: Tom Cotton should be in the bag at this point. Also Dan Sullivan, Lamar Alexander, Orrin Hatch, Jeff Flake.
5 representatives: Not sure who these will be. Maybe Peter Roskam.

[Coolface Sock #42069]

Sen. Lamar Alexander for Rubio

[Coolface Sock #42069]

Reid Ribble Reinforces Rubio

You mean Retiring Rural Republican Representative Reid Ribble Reinforced Rubio's Run? Riveting!

[Coolface Sock #42069]

Reagan endorses Kasich! That is, Michael Reagan, son of Ronald Reagan.

http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/ronald-reagan-s-son-endorses-john-kasich-n532796

Buuuttt I thought TRUMP was the next reeaggan......

TRUMP is NOT, I repeat, NOT the next Reagan. Reagan was a raging partisan who only appealed to the far right. TRUMP appeals to conservatives, moderates, liberals, and everything in between.

Wrong. Trump only appeals to racists.

But those racists may be liberals, moderates, conservatives, or anything in between.

[Coolface Sock #42069]

Neil Bush (yes, that Neil Bush, brother of Jeb! and George W.) for Ted Cruz.

[Coolface Sock #42069]

Chicago Tribune for Rubio

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-marco-rubio-tribune-endorsement-clinton-sanders-0310-md-20160309-story.html

And, since I believe that only Kasich had an (outside) chance in IL, this pretty much guarantees vote splitting and a Trump victory! They should frame this endorsement and put it next to the Dewey beats Truman headline!

I don't understand why they did this. Do they really think he can win?

Kasich couldn't win here, either. Republicans live disproportionately outside Chicagoland. Just where would Kasich be able to put together a coalition big enough to take down Trump? If he couldn't do it in Michigan, I don't see how he does it in a state with more southern/western territory including substantial territory south of the Mason-Dixon Line.

[Coolface Sock #42069]

National Review for Ted Cruz!

[Coolface Sock #42069]

Journal Star (IL) for Kasich and Clinton:

http://www.pjstar.com/opinion/20160313/endorsement-president-gop-kasich
http://www.pjstar.com/opinion/20160313/endorsement-president-dems-clinton

Very disappointing, but the Peoria Journal Star does lean left.

[Coolface Sock #42069]

Has Bruce Rauner endorsed yet?

Nope.

He explicitly stated he was staying out of it. He has a tough enough road ahead as it is.

[Coolface Sock #42069]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/03/23/scott-walker-says-hell-make-an-endorsement-decision-next-week-for-maximum-impact/

Scott Walker to endorse Cruz or Kasich in next week.  Probably Cruz.

Looks like it's going to be Cruz.

[Coolface Sock #42069]

Wisconsin House Speaker Robin Vos endorses Cruz

Good, now he just needs the Senate president and Ron Johnson.

[Coolface Sock #42069]

NY Times for Kasich (in a editorial arguing that "Never Trump" should really be "for Kasich"). I agree with them about 99%. I particularly liked this part, explaining why the establishment is backing Cruz and not Kasich:

Some conservative leaders see Mr. Cruz as their best chance for maintaining their influence and are thus reluctant to work for Mr. Kasich. Others who backed Jeb Bush or Mr. Rubio resent Mr. Kasich for not yielding to their candidate. Others worry that Mr. Kasich’s views on the poor, Muslims and immigrants place him too far from the right to win in a brokered convention....But in a year when cruelty and exclusion stand as hallmarks of conservatism, “It would be courageous to stand up and say that Kasich is a different kind of conservative,” who doesn’t see government, or foreigners, as enemies, Mr. Olsen says. “These voters exist, and there’s a lot of them.”

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/04/02/opinion/why-should-never-trump-mean-ted-cruz.html

But only for the primary, right?

Yes, once we get to the general election, the leftist media will treat the Republican nominee, no matter who it is, as a far-right extremist.

Endorsements from people who won't vote Republican anyway mean very little to actual Republican voters.

[Coolface Sock #42069]

boy do they hate Cruz. I love the little "well Kasich's really behind, so..." bit especially.

"At this point, there's really no choice."

[Coolface Sock #42069]

Rep. Dan Lipinski (IL) for Sanders.

And they call Hillary a Republican...

Yea, cant believe I'm agreeing with a Clinton supporter on endorsements but yea Lipinski is pretty much a GOPer.....

This really isn't an endorsement. He said he would vote for the candidate his district's Democrats chose, and they chose Bernie. That doesn't mean Lipinski is a socialist or actually supports Bernie. Lipinski is obviously a moderate; he voted against the Affordable Care Act.