By Jim Ellis
March 7, 2016 — Republicans voted in five states over the weekend, and all four remaining GOP presidential candidates gained delegate votes. Both Sen. Ted Cruz and Donald Trump placed first twice, while Sen. Marco Rubio scored a backdoor Winner-Take-All victory in Puerto Rico.
The Delegate Count:
REPUBLICANS
| Louisiana Primary | 46 Delegates |
| Donald Trump – 41.4% | 18 Delegates |
| Ted Cruz – 37.8% | 18 |
| Marco Rubio – 11.2% | 5 |
| Uncommitted | 5 |
| Kansas Caucus | 40 Delegates |
| Ted Cruz – 48.1% | 24 Delegates |
| Donald Trump – 23.3% | 9 |
| Marco Rubio – 16.7% | 6 |
| John Kasich – 10.7% | 1 |
| Maine Caucus | 23 Delegates |
| Ted Cruz – 45.9% | 12 Delegates |
| Donald Trump – 32.6% | 9 |
| John Kasich – 12.2% | 7 |
| Marco Rubio – 8.0% |
| Puerto Rico Primary | 23 Delegates |
| Marco Rubio – 71.0% | 23 Delegates |
| Donald Trump – 13.0% | 9 |
| Ted Cruz – 8.6% | 7 |
| John Kasich – 1.3% |
UPDATED GOP NATIONAL DELEGATE COUNT
| Candidate | Delegates | Percentage |
| Donald Trump | 391 | 43.1 |
| Ted Cruz | 304 | 33.5 |
| Marco Rubio | 154 | 17.0 |
| John Kasich | 37 | 4.0 |
| Ben Carson | 8 | |
| Others | 7 | |
| Uncomitted | 5 |
In order for Donald Trump to win the Republican nomination on the first ballot, he will have to commit 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 59.6 percent of the remaining delegate pool, or an improvement of 78 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.
