By , ,
Published March 16, 2016
A political earthquake in what was really a super duper Tuesday.
Hillary Clinton had a huge night.. winning big in Florida, Ohio, North Carolina and Illinois. Right now Missouri remains too close to call, but Clinton’s domination of the night including so-called “rust belt” states should put to bed lingering doubts about her ability to close the deal outside of the South. Bernie Sanders is vowing to go on, but there is now no clear path for the Democratic Socialist.
Hillary Clinton turned her attention to slamming Donald Trump (and the GOP) last night.
On the Republican side. Donald Trump won Florida by a wide margin sending the sitting state senator Marco Rubio out of the race humbled. Trump beat Rubio by double digits ending the race for the second major establishment figure from the Sunshine State.
Marco Rubio said, “While we are on the right side, this year we will not be on the winning side. While this may not have been the year for a hopeful and optimistic message about our future, I remain hopeful and optimistic about America."
Trump also won in Illinois, and North Carolina. Just like for the Dems, Missouri remains too close to call at this hour. Ted Cruz is just a few votes short of Trump in the Show Me state.
John Kasich had a major victory in his home state of Ohio winning all the delegates there, and halting Trump’s momentum.
Kasich will campaign today in Pennsylvania, and is reportedly planning to stump in Utah on Friday ahead of its March 22 caucuses.
1200EDT -- OH Gov Kasich holds a town hall meeting. Villanova Univ, Villanova, PA. LIVE via LiveU
It’s looking increasingly likely that there will be a contested convention for the GOP. Talk about an unusual election.
Republican pollster Neil Newhouse told the Wall Street Journal, "What we all thought would never happen -- a convention fight -- now has a better-than-even chance of occurring. We haven't seen a presidential election like this before, and we're unlikely to see one like it again."
The Wall Street Journal reporter Byron Tau writes today:
With contests in Ohio and Florida now in the rearview mirror, the presidential campaign moves next to Arizona, a potential swing state that has emerged as the epicenter of the battle over illegal immigration in the U.S.
Arizona will host both Republican and Democratic primary elections on March 22, the last Republican primary date until early April. On the same day, voters in Utah will vote in Republican and Democratic primaries and Democrats in Idaho will attend caucuses.
Immigration is likely to dominate the debate in both parties.
Republicans have taken a firm line against illegal immigration, and this issue first propelled Donald Trump to the top of the Republican polls last year.
On the Democratic side, both front-runner Hillary Clinton and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders have vowed to press for legalization and a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants in the U.S., and to build on President Barack Obama's executive actions protecting many of them from deportation in the meantime.
Breaking news at this hour. President Obama will announce his pick for the vacancy on the Supreme Court left by the death of Antonin Scalia at 11am in the Rose Garden. We’ll carry it live.
11:00AM THE PRESIDENT delivers a statement announcing his nominee to the United States Supreme Court
Rose Garden
Open Press (Pre-set 9:30AM; Final Gather 10:40AM – North Doors of the Palm Room)
We’re going to be monitoring two hearings today.
1000EDT -- House Homeland Security Cmte holds a hearing on the FY17 DHS Budget. Secy Johnson testifies. LIVE WEBCAST
1100EDT -- Senate Minority Ldr Reid speaks on "how years of Republican rhetoric led to the rise of Donald Trump." Center for American Progress Action Fund. LIVE via LiveU
Interest rate decision coming this afternoon. Will the U.S. again raise interest rates?
0830EDT -- Consumer Price Index for Feb, 2016.
0830EDT -- Housing Starts for Feb, 2016.
0915EDT -- Industrial Production for Feb, 2016.
1030EDT -- EIA Petroleum Status Report for wk3/11, 2016.
A U.S. student was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor in North Korea for stealing a propaganda poster.
We’re going to take a closer look at Russia saying it’s pulling out war planes and troops from Syria.
Two female suicide bombers killed at least 22 outside a mosque in Nigeria.
For more news, follow me on Twitter: @ClintPHenderson
https://www.foxnews.com/us/political-earthquake-shakes-up-race-for-white-house