Donald Trump Declared Winner in GOP New Hampshire Primary, Kasich Second and Battle for Third Between Cruz, Bush and Rubio

DONALD TRUMP HAS BEEN DECLARED THE WINNER OF THE REPUBLICAN NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY …

 Fox News: Trump wins, Kasich takes 2nd in GOP New Hampshire primary.

Donald Trump is the winner in the New Hampshire Republican primary and Ohio Gov. John Kasich will take second place, Fox News projects.

The battle for third, though, remains a fierce contest among three candidates – Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.

It is too early to project how those three will finish, though Rubio is trailing that group in early returns.

Donald Trump is the winner in the New Hampshire Republican primary and Ohio Gov. John Kasich will take second place, Fox News projects.

The battle for third, though, remains a fierce contest among three candidates – Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.

It is too early to project how those three will finish, though Rubio is trailing that group in early returns.

Trump gives victory speech from Manchester, NH

UPDATE I: Trump wins New Hampshire with help from Independents, late deciders.

Independent voters propelled Donald Trump to victory Tuesday night in the New Hampshire Republican primary, according to exit polls.

The Fox News exit polls show the billionaire businessman got 36 percent of the Independent vote, followed by Ohio Gov. John Kasich with 17 percent, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush with 13 percent and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio also with 13 percent, in the first-in-the nation primary.

He and Kasich each got 21 percent of the late-deciders, compared to 13 percent each for Bush and Rubio, the exit polls show.

Poll Conducted by the Pro-John Kasich New Day for America Super PAC Shows Rubio Falling to 4th

THIS POLL SHOULD NOT SURPRISE ANYONE AFTER RUBIO’S TERRIBLE DEBATE PERFORMANCE ...

As reported by the Politico, a poll conducted by the Pro-John Kasich New Day for America Super PAC shows Marco Rubio falling after his disastrous debate performance. Donald Trump still has a commanding first place lead; however, is a mad scramble. With just one day left before the New Hampshire primaries, it should be interesting how this plays out. This may just turn out to be the RINO primary.

An internal poll conducted on Sunday suggests that Marco Rubio’s fumbled debate performance has damaged his prospects heading into the New Hampshire primary.

The poll, conducted by the pro-John Kasich New Day for America Super PAC, shows Rubio plummeting to fourth place in the primary here, with 10 percent of the vote. Most of the polling conducted in the immediate days before the debate showed Rubio in second place.

The survey, which was based on phone calls to 500 likely voters (margin of error plus or minus 3 percent), was conducted Sunday, the day following the latest Republican debate. Rubio came under scathing attack from Chris Christie, who cast the first term Florida senator as too unready, ambitious, and superficial to occupy the Oval Office.

Donald Trump holds a wide lead in the survey, receiving 35 percent. He more than doubles runner-up Kasich, who has 15 percent. In third is Jeb Bush, with 13 percent. Behind Rubio in fifth and sixth place, respectively, are Christie and Ted Cruz. Both receive 8 percent.

Although, why any one would vote for Kasich is puzzling.

GOP New Hampshire Debate 2/6/16: Christie to Rubio … “Being Senator Does Not Prepare You for President of the United States”

IT WAS NOT A GOOD NIGHT FOR RUBIO AS CHRISTIE HAMMERED HIM OVER AND OVER …

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was in rare form last night as he blasted the new found darling of the GOP establishment candidate Marco Rubio with justified attack after attack. Christie hit Rubio with the label of the Washington establishment insider by saying the following, “that’s what Washington D.C., does. The drive-by shot…and then the memorized 25-second speech that is exactly what his advisers gave him.”

The Washington Free Beacon opines, a Rattled Rubio Survives New Hampshire Debate, But will he be ready for the next battle? I am not so sure of that. Marco Rubio crumbled under the pressure of being the top dog and being the focus of the attack. Christie did a political hit on him last night in the debate that Tony Soprano would have been proud of. Rubio did not help himself by making matters worse as he obviously became flummoxed. Rubio better learn to do a lot better, because last night was a disaster.

Debate transcript via WAPO:

You see, everybody, I want the people at home to think about this. That’s what Washington, D.C. Does. The drive-by shot at the beginning with incorrect and incomplete information and then the memorized 25-second speech that is exactly what his advisers gave him.

See Marco — Marco, the thing is this. When you’re president of the United States, when you’re a governor of a state, the memorized 30-second speech where you talk about how great America is at the end of it doesn’t solve one problem for one person. They expect you to plow the snow. They expect you to get the schools open. And when the worst natural disaster in your state’s history hits you, they expect you to rebuild their state, which is what I’ve done.

None of that stuff happens on the floor of the United States Senate. It’s a fine job, I’m glad you ran for it, but it does not prepare you for president of the United States

GOP New Hamphire Debate 2/6/16: OUCH, Gov. Christie Destroys Sen. Rubio on Lack of Leadership Comparing to Obama … “Do not make the same mistake” (VIDEO)

NEW JERSEY GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE DESTROYED MARCO RUBIO LAST NIGHT ON LACK OF LEADERSHIP …

During last nights debate on ABC News ahead of Monday’s 2016 New Hampshire primaries, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was a once man wrecking crew and laid waste to the new found darling establishment candidate, Sen. Marco Rubio. Christie lambasted Rubio on being ill prepared to be president of the United States. Christie stated that being a Senator does not prepare one to be president, whereas when one is a governor, they need to make decisions that impact the people who elected them and are held accountable for those decisions.

Check out the look Rubio gave Christie during this exchange

Things got started when Rubio was asked to respond to Christie’s allegation that, after experiencing the presidency of Barack Obama, who was elected as a first-term U.S. senator, it would be especially unfortunate if the Republican Party were itself to nominate Marco Rubio, a first term U.S. senator, for the White House. “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me,” Christie had said (bettering his former benefactor, George).

Rubio’s comeback was pretty good, if a little obvious in its intent: He argued that experience was overrated; if it mattered, Vice President Joe Biden would be a good candidate for commander-in-chief. He then argued that an unspoken premise of the criticism — that Obama has failed in part due to his inexperience — is faulty. Obama knows exactly what he’s doing, Rubio said. The president is not a fool; he’s a menace.

Christie wasn’t having it, dismissing Rubio’s Biden straw man and recommitting to his initial attack. Rubio’s a nice guy, a smart guy, Christie said; but the simple fact is that he’s never had to make an important decision. This got a noticeable round of applause from the audience. And perhaps that’s why Rubio then proceeded to self-destruct.

Christie stated with regards to Rubio, “you have not been involved in a consequential decision where you had to be held accountable, you just simply haven’t.” Christie followed up with, “the fact is, when you talk about the Hezbollah sanctions act that you list as one of your accomplishments, you weren’t even there to vote for it.” Then Christie crushed Rubio with the fact that he didn’t even show to vote with … “that’s not leadership, that’s truancy”.

Christie then did the most damning thing he could do to Rubio, compared the Florida senator to the 1st term 2008 Sen. Barack Obama and his lack of experience for the job and what that has gotten us. Christie provided the following backhanded compliment, “I like Marco Rubio and he’s a smart person and a good guy. But he simply does not have the experience to be president of the United States and make these decisions. We have watched it happen everybody for the last 7 years. The people of New Hampshire are smart, do not make the same mistake again.” OUCH!!!

Sen. Marco Rubio Iowa Caucus Speech: Hammers Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton … Hillary Clinton is disqualified from being the President & Commander in Chief of the United States (VIDEO)

Ted Cruz may have won Iowa much to the surprise of the pundits and establishment, but Marco Rubio had just a strong and surprising showing as well. Rubio nearly passed Donald Trump and came in second. Following Sen. Marco Rubio’s strong third place finish in Iowa, Rubio spoke to his supporters, thanked them and put forth his vision if he is elected president of the United States.

“After 7 years of Barack Obama, we are not waiting any longer to take our country back. This is not a time for waiting … This is a time where we need a president that will truly preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. Not one that undermines, attacks and ignores the Constitution of the United States.”

“In America there are only two ways forward for us now, we can be greater than we have ever been or we can be a great nation in decline. If Bernie Sanders or Hillary Clinton get elected, if they were to win we will become a great nation in decline.”

Check out the 3:06 mark of the video where Rubio calls out Hillary Clinton and states she is disqualified from becoming president of the United States:

“Hillary Clinton is disqualified from being the President of the United States because she stored classified information and sensitive information on her email server and because she thinks she is above the law. And Hillary Clinton can never be Commander in Chief because anyone who lies to the family of people who have lost their lives in the service of this country can never be Commander in Chief of the United States!”