This Tuesday, March 15, five states will hold Republican primaries. 358 delegates are at stake. Today, two days before voters make their choice, Donald Trump leads in four states, and is in a tie with Ohio Governor John Kasich.

If Kasich wins in his home state, Trump will likely gain 292 delegates; Cruz and Rubio zero.

The most interesting poll is Marco Rubio’s home state of Florida. He is presently behind Trump by nearly 18 points. Trump has multiple investments in the Sunshine State, including two resorts with championship golf courses. He employs hundreds of men and women, including Hispanics.

If a rally held last week by Rubio’s team in Hialeah is prophetic, the young Senator has serious problems ahead. An estimated crowd of approximately 200 stood in the end zone of a stadium capable of holding thousands.

Cruz offers a challenge to Trump in Missouri, but trails by double digits in other contests. Other than Florida, Rubio is in third or fourth place in every other contest. If Trump wins according to the polls, he will have a total of 752 delegates. He will need only 485 to secure the GOP nomination. It will be nearly impossible for another candidate to catch him.

Recent Trump rallies have revealed two things. The candidate is making overtures to all Republicans in an effort to unite them; he appears to be countering the establishment’s efforts to end his campaign. The other item is the growing number of protests aimed at ‘the Donald.’ Not only are Trump’s supporters angry, he has also inspired those who oppose him to reveal their strong emotions.

In reality, any candidate who receives the GOP nomination will not represent what once was the Republican Party. The Grand Old Party of Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, and Dwight Eisenhower is non-existent. The sad truth is that all three of these great Republican Presidents would not be “conservative” enough to represent their party today.

The only fact exposed by this campaign season is that extremism does not serve the people.

Op-Ed

By James Turnage

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Photo Courtesy of DonkeyHotey

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