Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton won Saturday's Nevada Caucus over Senator Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump won the South Carolina primary over his republican opponents. Clinton and Sanders continue to run closely with only a few percentage points of separation. Trumps win was double digit because of the crowded field but that should change as another republican candidate Jeb Bush dropped out with a poor showing in the South Carolina primary.
This writer thought Clinton had a great night last Thursday night in Las Vegas at the town hall meeting moderated by MSNBC. Sanders went first before the people but Clinton shined when her time came to face the same audience and was better prepared. Next stop for both is the South Carolina primary on Feb. 27. At this writing the polls give Clinton a double digit lead over Sanders there.
Trump's victory in South Carolina kept the poll numbers true and captured 33% of the vote to Rubio and Cruz's 22%. After seeing reports on cable news and listening to Rubio's remarks you would thing his second place finish was as good as winning. Not bad if they can sell that and the voters buy it. Speculation has also begun on which candidate will benefit from Jeb dropping out of the race. Ohio governor John Kasich now says it is a four man race and includes himself even though his South Carolina vote percentage was single digit and way back in the vote tally.
Trump cut Jeb's legs off at the very beginning of the campaign with his personal attacks and Bush never really got started. As a result, there will be no Bush dynasty in the White House next year. And for those who spoke of a Clinton dynasty, forget about it because it can't happen. Not that she won't win because she can win. If she does win it will not be a Clinton dynasty because Hillary is only a Clinton by marriage and does not have a Clinton gene passed down to her. There is a difference.
The democratic and republican campaigns are becoming more in focus and come early March the American people are going to have a much greater insight as to what two candidates will likely face each other in the general election. The democratic debates will continue to out perform the republican debate circus and inject some needed civility in the process. That is the good news concerning the debates.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
