Rubio needs to either drop out now & shoot for gov or stay the course for GOP nomination by gambling on Florida win

Little Marco Rubio heads back to Florida / Headline Surfer®SANFORD, Fla. -- Fresh off campaign stop here in Sanford on Monday, Marco Rubio needs to think about his political future with his flat showing the very next day in Tuesday'a GOP primaries in Michigan, Mississippi and Idaho.

Frontrunner Donald Trump won Michigan and Mississippi and Ted Cruz picked up Idaho. Trump later was declared the winner of Tuesday's Hawaii caucus. 

Rubio has two possible paths in the wake of Tuesday's dismal showing:

One, he could get out now in advance of of this Tuesday's Florida's primary and aim instead for the governor's race in 2018, where his only obstacle might by Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Or two, he could stay the course and hope to finish in first over Donald Trump in the Florida primary and force a brokered convention.

But if Rubio were to finish a distant second to Trump in his home state, he could be finished politically -- his legacy tarnished for good.

Rubio was seen from the onset as the one establishment Republican who could beat Hillary Clinton in the general election, but he got roughed up by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie in an earlier debate before Cristie dropped out that left him vulnerable to Trump. Then Rubio got suckered by Trump into gutter talk and hasn't recovered since with the exception of winning in Minnesota and Puerto Rico.

Marco Rubio makes campaign stop Monday in Sanford, Florida / Headline Surfer®Photo for Headline Surfer® /
Marco Rubio, Florida's junior senator, takes his GOP presidential campaign to Sanford, Fla., on Monday night in hopes of winning the upcoming Super Tuesday Florida primary.
 

Rubio's only shot at staying in the race and winning the nomination is to win Florida outright.

The mantra at this point is very clear after his dismal showings Tuesday in Michigan, Mississippi Idaho and Hawaii: If Rubio can't win his home state, where his is the junior senator, than he can't be the GOP nominee and his campaign will be over.

If Rubio were to finish a distant second or worse, then his political career could be tarnished. Trump is expected to win Florida.

Steve Lieberman, of Nyack in suburban New York, a reporter colleague and longtime friend of mine, believes "Rubio is done." "He proved he was never a serious primary contender," Lieberman, a reporter for the Journal-News of Rockland, Westchester and Putnam Counties, where I previously worked as a cops and courts reporter as well from 1989-1995, said of Rubio on Facebook. 

"He lacked credibility on the stump and imploded during the recent debates," Lieberman, a Hillary Clinton supporter, wrote of Rubio on my Facebook page, adding, "Pundits were big time wrong about Rubio. They now say he runs for governor with the gov running for senate. Trump takes nomination."

Steve Lierberman of Nyack, NY / Headline Surfer®Steve Lieberman, a reporter colleague and longtime friend of mine, of Nyack in suburban New York, believes "Rubio is done." 

"He proved he was never a serious primary contender," Lieberman, a senior investigative reporter for the Journal-News of Rockland, Westchester and Putnam Counties, where I worked as a cops and courts reporter as well from 1989-1995, said of Rubio on Facebook. "He lacked credibility on the stump and imploded during the recent debates,"

Lieberman, a Hillary Clinton supporter, wrote of Rubio on my Facebook page, adding, "Pundits were big time wrong about Rubio. They now say he runs for governor with the gov running for senate. Trump takes nomination."

 

I kind of agree with Lieberman regarding Rubio's status, but am not yet ready to say it's over for the junior senator who came on strong with such high hopes and now has the label of "Little Marco."

I believe Marco Rubio either has to win Florida outright or he'll be finished politically, especially if Trump romps. He might be better off to get out now and go for governor in 2018. Trump will likely win Florida and go on to win the GOP nomination regardless. It's just a matter of time.

I just don't see Cruz, second to Trump among the final four GOPers, having the muscle to upset Trump, especially since Trump has done as well as he has with evangelical voters, Cruz' base of support.

Possible Trump-Kasich ticket?

Should Ohio Gov. John Kasich win Ohio or finish a close second, I could see a ticket of Trump-Kasich, which would put an end to animosity over a brokered convention.

Bernie Sanders' upset win in Michigan humbles Hillary and forces her to focus on the primary. Eventually, it will be Trump vs. Clinton.

That is unless Rubio can pull the proverbial rabbit out of the hat and win Florida. But it's just as likely that Trump will romp in the Sunshine State, especially since, he, too, calls Florida home from West Palm Beach.

Here's Ormond Beach's Sara Soubliere's take on Rubio vs. Trump in the Florida showdown: "I don't think Rubio will win Florida and I agree Hillary will most likely be the nominee. The only one who has a chance at beating H is the big D."

Sara Soubliere of Ormond Beach supports Donaldf TrumpHere's Ormond Beach's Sara Soubliere's take on Rubio vs. Trump in the upcoming Florida GOP Primary showdown and whether Rubio or Donald Trump is better equipped to defeat Hillary Clinton in the general election, assuming she gets by the upstart Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primary grind:

"I don't think Rubio will win Florida and I agree Hillary will most likely be the nominee. The only one who has a chance at beating H is the big D."

H, of course, Soubliere refers to is none other than Democrat Hillary Clinton, and the Big D is The Donald.

 

H, of course, Soubliere refers to is none other than Democrat Hillary Clinton and the Big D, is The Donald.

At this point, Bernie Sanders has slowed Clinton's momentum, but unless she's indicted over the e-mail server scandal, her path to the nomination seems secure.

Who Clinton's running mate could be is anyone's guess at this point. She does not seem wedded on any level to bringing Sanders aboard and he has shown no interest in playing second fiddle, either.