By Jim Ellis
March 9, 2016 — Donald Trump placed first in three of the four states last night, meaning next week’s Ohio Winner-Take-All contest may well determine if the Republicans will nominate a candidate on the first ballot or plummet into a contested convention. Sen. Marco Rubio had a terrible night, with only the two delegates he earned in Hawaii saving him from being shutout.
THE DELEGATE COUNT
REPUBLICANS:
| Michigan Primary – 59 Delegates (15% Vote Threshold) |
| Donald Trump – 36.5% |
25 Delegates |
| Ted Cruz – 24.9% |
17 |
| John Kasich – 24.3% |
17 |
| Marco Rubio – 9.3% |
|
Mississippi Primary – 40 Delegates (15% Vote Threshold) |
| Donald Trump – 47.3% |
25 Delegates |
| Ted Cruz – 36.3% |
15
|
| John Kasich – 8.8% |
|
| Marco Rubio – 5.1% |
|
Idaho Primary – 32 Delegates (20% Vote Threshold) |
| Ted Cruz – 45.4% |
20 Delegates |
| Donald Trump – 28.1% |
12
|
| Marco Rubio – 15.9% |
|
| John Kasich — 7.4% |
|
Hawaii Caucus – 19 Delegates (0% Vote Threshold) |
| Donald Trump – 42.4% |
7 Delegates |
| Ted Cruz – 32.7% |
5 |
| John Kasich — 10.6% |
2 |
| Marco Rubio – 13.2% |
2 |
| RNC Uncommitted |
3 |
UPDATED GOP NATIONAL DELEGATE COUNT (UNOFFICIAL):
| CANDIDATE |
DELEGATES |
PERCENTAGE |
| Donald Trump |
460 |
43.7 |
| Ted Cruz |
361 |
34.3 |
| Marco Rubio |
156 |
14.8 |
| John Kasich |
56 |
5.3 |
| Ben Carson |
8 |
|
| Others |
7 |
|
| Uncommitted |
5 |
|
| Needed to win: |
1,237 |
In order for Donald Trump to win the Republican nomination on the first ballot, he will have to commit just over 54 percent of the remaining delegates, or 25 percent better than his performance to date. For Sen. Cruz to win on the first ballot, he must obtain 62 percent of the remaining delegate pool, or an improvement of 80 percent over his current rate of delegate acquisition.
The March 15 primaries that feature the Winner-Take-All states of Florida (99 delegates) and Ohio (66 delegates) will be critical in determining if the Republicans can nominate a candidate on the first ballot.
The five states and one territory voting next Tuesday will apportion 367 Republican delegates. With Trump running strongly in Florida, it is likely that Ohio will determine the nomination campaign’s future course. Should Trump win, he has a path to a first ballot majority. If Gov. Kasich scores the 66 delegates, then a brokered convention becomes the likely end game scenario.
Sanders’ Major Upset
Sen. Bernie Sanders’ surprising win in Michigan last night adds a bit of intrigue to the Democratic battle. Winning in a big state with a significant African-American population for the first time, Sanders may be giving Democratic Super Delegates some reason for pause.
Until possibly now, Hillary Clinton has dominated Super Delegate acquisition, which is responsible for her large overall lead in committed delegate votes. But, most of the Super Delegates are not bound on the first ballot. Therefore, they can change their positions.
Since Sanders runs consistently better among white Democratic voters than does Clinton, and most of the states featuring few black voters are still to come, there is reason to believe that he could catch her in the regular delegate category. If so, will the Super Delegates begin to fold? It may become difficult for them, a delegate category comprised of Democratic elected officials and party leaders, to oppose their state constituents.
For weeks, it appeared that Clinton was a lock for the nomination, and still maintains the inside track, no doubt. Yet, there is a glimmer of hope for the Sanders camp, and now a scenario is developing that brings him back into the game.
| The adjusted delegate totals account for more Super Delegate declarations and pledged assignments (needed to win: 2,383): |
| Total Hillary Clinton: |
1,229 |
| Total Bernie Sanders: |
575 |
| Clinton Super Delegates: |
90 |
| Sanders Super Delegates: |
575 |
| Clinton Regular Delegates: |
707 |
| Sanders Regular Delegates: |
485 |
Delegate Compilation Source: The Green Papers website |
