Cruz gains steam against Trump, as Rubio fades in ‘Super Saturday’ voting.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Republicans in Maine and Kansas breathed new life into Sen. Ted Cruz’s presidential campaign Saturday, handing him significant victories in GOP caucuses as he seeks to position himself as the chief alternative to frontrunner Donald Trump.

But Trump didn’t come up completely empty in the four states that made up the so-called “Super Saturday” voting. The real estate mogul claimed narrow victories over Cruz in Louisiana and Kentucky — suggesting that his race to lock up the delegates that are needed to secure the nomination had been slowed, but not derailed, by party figures determined to block his campaign.

In a press conference here Saturday night, Trump called on Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who finished well behind Trump and Cruz in Saturday’s contests, to leave the race. “It’s probably time,” he said, adding that he wanted to face Cruz “one-on-one.”

Trump aides were quick to play down Cruz’s victories, pointing out that he had poured more energy and resources into winning the caucus states than their boss. (Speaking to supporters, Trump fancifully suggested another reason for Cruz’s win in Maine: its proximity to Canada, where the Texas senator was born.)

But Cruz’s strong showing on Saturday was a significant blow to Trump, who had been riding a wave of what seemed to be unstoppable momentum after Super Tuesday, when he won seven states and expanded his delegate lead over Cruz, Rubio and Gov. John Kasich of Ohio. Speaking to supporters, Trump appeared tired but undeterred as he talked up his “amazing” night and predicted he will become the GOP nominee.

In recent days, Trump has come under increased scrutiny from his rivals, who have raised questions about his business record and temperament, and from party elders like Sen. John McCain of Arizona and former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, who have called Trump unfit for the presidency and launched efforts to derail his insurgent campaign.

Romney, the 2012 Republican nominee, delivered a blistering speech on Thursday trashing Trump as a “phony” and calling on GOP voters to deny him the nomination. Romney, who sought and received Trump’s endorsement four years ago, has also suggested he might spend part of his personal fortune to further the so-called “Never Trump” cause, pushed by the party’s establishment and super-PACs aiming to bolster his rivals, who are looking to set up a convention fight over the nomination.


By Holly Bailey.
Culled from Yahoo News.