Do you think Marco Rubio will be the Republican Nominee?

[Spark]

Discuss.

[Holmes]

He might, but I don't think so. He has a path for the nomination now (which he didn't have before Iowa), but that doesn't mean it'll actually happen.

[Asian Nazi]

TRUMP will win

[Xing]

It's not as certain as some people here make it out to be, but he's the most likely one to win, at this point.

[Clark Kent]

TRUMP will win

Just like he won Io-oh, wait.

Rubio is most likely, but Cruz still has a shot.

[TJ in Oregon]

Yes, I do. We will have to go through many stages of grief before that comes to pass, but I really do think things will ultimately coalesce around him. If there is another shoe to drop it would need to be far more spectacular than the boots.

[Talleyrand]

Yes, the Rubes is inevitable. Cruz has an outside shot, but it's very, very small.

[indysaff]

His chances are improving, but he hasn't even won a state yet.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I would prefer he is not.

[Young Conservative]

I would greatly prefer him not to be.

[Orser67]

I would say he's the most likely, but I would take "everyone else" over Rubio. It will be interesting to see how well he does in NH now that he's clearly a real threat for the nomination, and not just someone who "makes sense."

[eric82oslo]

What is there to discuss exactly? The obvious answer is yes.

[TJ in Oregon]

I would prefer he is not.

Who is your preference these days, Yankee?

[sportydude]

If you like it or not, it's gonna be Trump.

[eric82oslo]

He might, but I don't think so. He has a path for the nomination now (which he didn't have before Iowa), but that doesn't mean it'll actually happen.

He had it all along. Maybe you didn't see it, but then you were blind.

Since September/October at least, he's been by far the most likely nominee. Quite funny indeed that you thought it was Trump (or Cruz).

[pho]

I still think its Trump if he wins big in NH.

[Mehmentum]

In order for Rubio to win, either Trump or Cruz need to drop out of the race.  In a three way, no candidate is likely to win a majority of the delegates.  Do you really think Rubio's going to be able to win a brokered convention when most of the delegates are Cruz and Trump supporters?

Rubio's best path is to force Trump out in New Hampshire.  At that point, I'd give him roughly even odds against Cruz in a one on one.  Rubio's main problem is that Super Tuesday will be absolutely awful for him.  Its possible Rubio could recover from that, but Cruz would get a huge boost that'll be difficult to overcome.

[anvi]

I've long thought he would be the smartest choice for nominee, but I don't know if he will make it yet.  His Iowa results were impressive.  If he does well in New Hampshire and Nevada, he will have enough steam to make it to Super Tuesday, and that will be the real test.

[President Johnson]

Most likely not. I just don't see his path to the nomination. Despite surging in New Hampshire, TRUMP maintains his double-digit lead and also remains stable around 30%. Even if the businessman underperforms a little, he'll win the primary and as a result regain momentum. This will bring him into a good position for a TRUMP-victory in South Carolina and Nevada.

However, I think Rubio will, if he comes in second or third in most states, stay in the race until the Florida primary on March 15. If The Donald manages to win the Sunshine State (and even if it's a narrow win) Rubio will be done and The Donald is the presumpitive nominee. And Cruz is even more unlikely to stop TRUMP than Rubio.

[Panhandle Progressive]

I still believe Republicans will nominate Trump this year. Yes, he lost Iowa. As the media made well aware Trump had a terrible ground game in Iowa whereas Cruz and Rubio have spent enormous time on the ground and both had great ground games to turn out their voters. Trump got 24% of the vote mostly on name recognition alone, and to a overwhelmingly evangelical voter base. Like Hillary I believe he will have a huge lead on Super Tuesday and beyond.

[ShadowRocket]

While I don't think it is inevitable, I do think he is the likeliest at this point. I think this might turn out to be a more conventional primary than previously thought after all, with Rubio rallying the establishment/mainstream vote behind him as Cruz, Trump, and Carson divide the conservatives among themselves. 

[tallguy23]

If the GOP is smart, yes. He's the only Republican I can see beating Clinton.

[°Leprechaun]

If the other six drop out, what does a three man race look like (Rubio-Trump-Cruz)?

National polls:
for example, is this what it would look like?
Trump 40% Rubio 35% Cruz 25%
The percents are only guesses but that order is how I see it, right now.
As time goes on, it would change, but that is how I see it starting out.
Perhaps, eventually whoever is third would start to decline.
I am just wondering how Rubio would actually win the nomination.

[Ronnie]

If the GOP is smart, yes. He's the only Republican I can see beating Clinton.

As much as I hope Hillary would beat Rubio, since god knows we don't need 4-8 years of chickenhawkery, I think he's the only candidate with at least a 50-50 shot of beating her.  Trump is a wildcard, but it's hard for me to imagine him accumulating a majority of EVs when push comes to shove.

[#TheShadowyAbyss]

Yes, in the end I do think he will.