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Super Tuesday: Clinton, Trump Notch Big Southern Wins; Cruz Wins 3 States

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump both had big wins on Super Tuesday, taking multiple Southern states.
Gerald Herbert/AP; Andrew Harnik/AP
Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump both had big wins on Super Tuesday, taking multiple Southern states.

A voter casts her ballot at Fairfax Circle Baptist Church in Fairfax, Va.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
A voter casts her ballot at Fairfax Circle Baptist Church in Fairfax, Va.
Republican Presidential frontrunner Donald Trump speaks to the media at the Mar-A-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Fla.
John Moore Getty Images
Republican Presidential frontrunner Donald Trump speaks to the media at the Mar-A-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Fla.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton addresses supporters at her Super Tuesday election night rally in Miami, Fla.
Gerald Herbert AP
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton addresses supporters at her Super Tuesday election night rally in Miami, Fla.
Super Tuesday: Clinton, Trump Notch Big Southern Wins; Cruz Wins 3 States
Super Tuesday: Clinton, Trump Notch Big Southern Wins; Cruz Wins 3 States GUESTS: Laura Fink, political consultant, Fink and Hernandez Consulting Bob Schuman, political consultant, The Schuman Group

The two candidates who went into Super Tuesday of this the front runners moving the front runners. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump dominated the when Collins last night. The questions that remains is did yesterday's voting seal the deal on their respective nominations? What to Super Tuesday tell us about how the race for the White House may look when California finally gets a chance to cast ballots in the June primary? Joining me is Laura Fink, she's a politicals strategist and president of Fink and Hernandez Consulting. Thank you for joining us. Also joining us is Bob Schuman of The Schuman Group he's worked on the presidential campaign separate Kerry and George W. Bush. Welcome to the program. Let me start with you Bob. As political consultants you've watched political events slightly differently than the average voter. What struck you about yesterday's races? I think the thing that jumped out the most was Rubio's poor performance. In my view this was a make or break take for him. And I don't think he made a. He 11 state and not pay very much. But he can't keep turning third-place finishes into claiming victory. I think for all intent and purposes is mortally wounded. And Laura,. I think they switching the states Epcot they wanted a nominee earlier. They got that but they did not know that that how many would be Donald Trump. Laura Collett start in the Democratic side to get into this. Did Hillary Clinton to as well she had to do to wrap up the nomination? I think absolutely. I think Bernie continues this show surprising strength coveted strengthen areas that are his base. Because he is not expanding that beyond caucus states in states with the significant Caucasian population, making inroads with African-American voters can't Latino voters, and other minority groups, I think we're not seeing his road expand. The path is Nero for him to achieve the nomination. The delegate count does not favor him. He has a long road to get. -- Ahead. No -- now Bernie Sanders tried very hard to win the vote in the south what happened? To be fair to Bernie Sanders and give credit to Hillary Clinton beating Bernie 921 with African-American voters is a huge feet. But time is a movement of politics. He managed to galvanize millions of people to donate to his campaign and get behind him. The timeline from the Iowa caucuses to the South Carolina primary and the momentum that you need in order for the narrative to be behind you is a significant heat for someone to be able to do that. He was not able to. But I think it's remarkable the number of people he has gotten involved in politics. I think he will continue to be a force. Are used for saying the Sanders political movement is over? I don't think they're going to give it up. It's not about winning or achieving office. It's about issues. I think he has exceeded his wildest expectations in terms of his success. I think you will see him take one for the team and bring those voters home to the Democratic convention. Are probably give up very wonderful speech and get the new voters to the Democratic base to stand with them. Bob Schuman on the Republican side, Donald Trump keeps on winning. What you think this juggernaut is doing to the Republican Party? I think in terms of the establishment, they went into a meltdown last night. And my guess is they came out today with a stop Trump strategy, whatever that might be. I think there is a lot of scenarios there. To slow him down. He is so far outside the norm. We have always nominated people who colored within the lines, more part of the establishment. Trump picks up whatever color you want to just scribbles all over the page. And that is what you get. I think he has a lot of people nervous. It's not just the establishment. We keep talking about it, the committee, the unions cut the party -- not the unions the party lobbyists. It's really the pack's that have become more of the powerbrokers within both political parties because the citizens United in their ability to spend money. I see -- think you will see them step up also. With strategies have you heard foot by these establishment characters? Would happen when -- last night what went I would noticed one of the big pack's was an economic driven and doesn't care much about socially --, it really attacked Trump in Arkansas and Oklahoma. Cruz won Oklahoma and very close to winning in Arkansas. I think you'll see that embolden other packs and I think you'll see them start going after Trump as well. One of the strategies I e heard floated out there, this would be based on heavily polling in Florida today. To see if there's any path to victory for Rubio. He is down by 20 points. If there is no path I guess -- my guess is the go to Rubio and try to get them out of the race. And they also go to cruise in the dedicate a lot of the race clear the path for you but you have to take Rubio's running mate. And they both team up and go after Trump together. Well. There has been a lot of talk, Bob, about of open convention this year. On the GOP side, if indeed this split the party continues all the way up until July copyright, that's when the convention is. How could it work? Do you see something? Do you see the Republicans actually not voting the way that the Republican people in the primaries voted for president and actually switching votes and candidates? In most cases if you are tidier candidate for the first ballot, in some cases state parties make their own rules. After that they can usually typically be released. We don't have as many superdelegates as the Democrats do. But they are also not committed. They can vote for whoever they want. What a lot of people don't know, if it goes for broke and the convention Paul Ryan becomes chairman of the convention. He's a well-known guy. But when you are not kind of an environment, typically the chairman of the delegation at the varied states as the senator or the governor that a sitting governor, there will be a lot of pressure on those delegates to vote for whoever the establishment decides it ought to be. Laura, if there is still some doubt about who the GOP nominee is going to be in June, how do you see that impacting the California primary? I don't think there is any doubt who the GOP nomination is going to be. I think what you are seeing is a reflection of the fissures in the Republican parties in the home as a whole. We see that the moderates, which represent almost 1/3 of the Republican base not having anywhere to go. They are pro-choice, they are pro-gay marriage, the chart are climate change. What is uniting Republicans behind Donald Trump? Its anti-immigration sentiment and an anti-governance sentiment. They don't believe the government is a properly addressing their needs. There isn't anti-immigration sentiment that you've heard all of the candidates talk about. That's why those issues, not the traditional Orthodox, but maybe no government or eliminate government, you don't see the lower taxes. Yet they're coming out the polls in saying that. Those are the things that have cut across the stripes that have united behind Trump. The problem that they have is one out of five voters, are refusing to vote for Trump. They have quite a deal -- a deal a blow to them. That us assume that Hillary Clinton is going to be the nominee for the Democratic Hardy. If you have the ear of those people running her campaign, but we to advise them considering this political landscape we find ourselves in? I think we saw her pitted a little bit to some of the things I would recommend last night. She talked about championing the middle class. She not talked about just champing CEOs. She talked about loyalty of American corporations and made an illusion to the tea party. She talked to the sentiment of Americans feeling like their disadvantage. Like the American dream is not available to them. It cuts across party lines. And I think it appeals to people who are disenfranchised. I think you will see that it a bit. She will speak and more nuanced about the importance of regular folks and not just CEOs. It will be a little different than this themes we've seen Bernie Sanders address. But she is going to try to keep that Rainbow Coalition together that has got her here. Also the one thing that Donald Trump has a an advantage of over her are working-class white men. That is a targeted group she will be looking to as well. Bob Schuman, if you have the ear of the Republican Party, the RNC, the people who are either going to crown or not crown Donald Trump when it comes to the convention, what would you advise them? Which advise them to find some anti-Trump? Or which say hey look this is the way it's going sure we have to get on this train? I think they're going to try to see if they can derail it. But if they can't they have no choice but to give on the train. There's a popularity up around him. Disunion 12 people -- doing well with young people. There is a gap between the Republic the Democrats this year. I think one of the biggest problems Hillary Clinton has is to get the and people fired up again. The and people what would irony. Can she get them back? They seem to like Trump. Trump, surprisingly, is doing pretty well across the board. There is no big coalition that he is just not doing well on. And even surprisingly mind evangelicals, Ben Carson dropped out this morning. Normally we would say those are going to cruise. But this is a different year so who knows what will happen with those voters. Also, Bob the mantra within the Republican Party if you have a Trump at the head of the ticket that the rest of the down ticket is going to suffer. The GOP may lose the Senate. The Republicans don't normally do very well in California. But it may hurt them even more state-by-state. What you think about that? It depends on how he does. If he remains popular in catches fire among other groups, he does okay among Hispanics. If you get that group fired up comedy can hold onto the people that are supported amount keep that enthusiasm go in, he could help the ticket. It's just such an on usually here. I would like to get both your take. You're here in San Diego you've got your era national politics houses playing in San Diego this presidential election so far. Would you taken out Laura? I want to say that Donald Trump is a turn on machine for every group that he has insulted in the course of this campaign as a potential group to come out in large number to vote against him. The Pete Wilson affect. That might galvanize an entire generation of various populations. In terms of San Diego, it's very interesting to see or San Diego -- as and you course, so goes the world. We are pulled frequently because of our diversity. You can get statistically significant groups here. I think you will see reflected in San Diego what you see in the national polls. I think we will be fairly similar to that on the Democratic side. Bob? I would say that as well. At least among the three remaining on the Republican side. With Rubio, cruise straight chairman, and California's of former San Diego party chairman, that helps. There are the Trump people out there. I think San Diego is reflective what is happening nationally, at least at this point. We are a Mayor. Okay. I have been speaking with Laura think she's a consultant know that and consultant Bob Schuman. Thank you both very much. Enqueue Maureen. -- Think you Maureen. Thank you Maureen.

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump notched big wins across the South on Super Tuesday as they extended their leads for their party's nomination.

On the Republican side, Trump has won seven states: Virginia, Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee, Vermont, Massachusetts and Georgia. Sen. Ted Cruz won his home state of Texas, eked out a surprise victory in Oklahoma and won the caucuses in Alaska. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio finally got his first outright win by taking the Minnesota caucuses.

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In the Democratic race, Clinton also captured seven states: Georgia, Virginia, Texas, Alabama, Tennessee, Massachusetts and her onetime home of Arkansas. Sen. Bernie Sanders took his home state of Vermont and also picked up wins in Oklahoma's primary and the Colorado and Minnesota caucuses.

Trump: 'I'm A Unifier'

After a week in which many top Republicans had promised to stop the real estate mogul, Trump rolled through the biggest primary night yet.

But the boisterous billionaire was more subdued Tuesday night, trying to project a more presidential tone. Instead of his usual rousing victory parties, he held a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla.

"Tonight is the best of all," Trump declared, touting his resounding victories as they continued to pile up.

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He cast an eye toward the general election, promising he would bring the GOP together if he is the nominee and expand the party.

"I'm a unifier," Trump said. "I know people are going to find that a little bit hard to believe, but believe me."

He also jabbed at the "lightweight" Rubio for having a "tough night." The Florida senator had hit Trump hard this week but ended up with little to show for it; he finally won in Minnesota late on Tuesday. Rubio's next closest state was Virginia, where he did well in the D.C. suburbs, but Trump still pulled out a victory, robbing him of a major coup.

Rubio had taken the stage earlier in Miami, exuding confidence nonetheless as the race moves to Florida in two weeks.

"We are going to send the message loud and clear ... that the presidency of the United States will never be held by a con artist," Rubio declared, echoing a hit against Trump he has frequently used this week.

But it was Cruz who used his wins in Texas and Oklahoma to frame the contest as a two-man race, calling for the other candidates to drop out.

"So long as the field remains divided, Donald Trump's path to the nomination remains more likely, and that would be a disaster for Republicans, for conservatives and for the nation," Cruz said.

"And after tonight, we have seen that our campaign is the only campaign that has beaten, that can beat and that will beat Donald Trump," he argued.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich nearly pulled off an upset over Trump in Vermont, but would finish the night with no actual victories. His team is instead banking on a decisive victory in two weeks in his home state.

"Tonight, I can say that we have absolutely exceeded expectations," he told a crowd in Mississippi.

For Ben Carson, the results were even more bleak. His best showing of the evening was in Alabama, where he got 10 percent of the vote. But he, too, vowed to remain fighting.

"Millions of Americans plead with me to continue," he told a crowd in Baltimore. "They know I am a citizen candidate, not a politician, who won't do what is expedient, but what is right."

Clinton: 'This Country Belongs To All Of Us'

On the Democratic side, Clinton touted her strong finishes across the board, winning in states with diverse Democratic electorates.

"All across our country today, Democrats voted to break down barriers so we can all rise together," she declared.

Striking a noticeable contrast with Trump, her possible general election rival, she smiled as she said, "I believe what we need in America today is more love and kindness."

And she struck a populist tone, taking on one of Sanders' common themes as she told the crowd, "this country belongs to all of us, not just those at the top."

Sanders came out shortly after 7:30 p.m. ET from his campaign party in Vermont for what was expected to be a long night.

"By the end of tonight, we are going to win many hundreds of delegates," he told a roaring, adoring crowd in his home state.

"The people who know me best have voted so strongly to put me in the White House," Sanders boasted, declaring that his campaign "is not just about electing a president; it is about transforming America."

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