The Fix’s week in politics
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Version 0 of 1. Bernie Sanders won Michigan. And in upsetting Hillary Clinton in the March 8 Democratic primary, the senator from Vermont has probably prolonged the nominating contest for weeks or possibly months. His win in the Midwestern industrial state, after being 20 points down in the polls, may reenergize Sanders's chances in states such as Ohio and Illinois, which vote Tuesday. The delegate count is such that with a few big wins, Clinton is nearing an insurmountable lead to get the nomination. But in Michigan, Sanders gave himself another fighting chance, and for that Republicans can thank him. At least they're not the only party with a contested, sometimes contentious, presidential nominating contest. Marco Rubio's campaign appears to be nearing an end. When the presidential campaign began, many Democrats worried about going up against Rubio more than most of the other candidates; on paper the young, dynamic senator from Florida, who is the son of Cuban immigrants, looked like their most formidable challenger. Now, Rubio's campaign is hanging on by a thread — specifically on the chance he'll win Florida in Tuesday's primary. Public polling shows Rubio behind in his home state, a week after he placed third in three states and fourth in another. In this unpredictable campaign, it's not a safe bet Democrats will have an easy path to the White House against Donald Trump or Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas. But at least they won't be facing a candidate that many of them would rather not. — Amber Phillips The number of delegates Sen. Marco Rubio won in the four March 8 nominating contests. If Republicans can hang on to two slightly vulnerable governor’s mansions and win just one of the three contested open gubernatorial seats in November, they will match their post-World War II record of controlling 32 governor’s mansions. The amount of time the past 12 Republican debates, including the undercards, have taken in total, not including commercials or the moderators talking. |