Marco Rubio "crashed and burned" in the New Hampshire primary Tuesday because of his poor performance in the debate Saturday in Manchester, political consultant Roger Stone told
Newsmax TV.
"If you would have asked me this three days ago, I would’ve had to say Marco Rubio," Stone told host Ed Berliner on the "Newsmax TV 2016 New Hampshire Primary Special" in an interview. "Marco Rubio was clearly on a trajectory to come in second in New Hampshire and maybe even challenge Trump for first place."
But that changed after the debate, Stone said.
"Because of his weak debate performance, there's a crash-and-burn there," he added. "So now, you have a muddle in which Jeb Bush, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and John Kasich are grouped together."
He said that Kasich, the No. 2 finisher, "emerges as the alternative — and I think Trump will defeat him handily in South Carolina.
"That's very clear tonight," Stone said. "He is winning the establishment primary."
Still, winner Donald Trump had a "very, very big night," Stone said. "He didn't just win by one vote or a handful of votes. He won big.
"He goes into South Carolina with an enormous head of steam."
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Looking further to the Palmetto State's GOP primary on Feb. 20, Stone also told Newsmax that:
- Trump's outsider message will resonate with voters. "He's beholden to no special interest, no lobbyists, no billionaires, no super PACs. He's his own man. Those issues worked in Iowa where he had a strong finish."
- The developer is a "natural, political phenomenon" and has done extraordinarily well tonight not because of his political structure but despite it. "This is an insurrection."
- Trump is "his own strategist." He is "his own message maven. Donald Trump is his own tactician. Donald Trump is his own press secretary. Donald Trump is his own speech writer. You cannot argue with success."
- The front-runner has a strong ground game in the state. "They know exactly what they are doing. They have been meticulously building a get-out-to-vote operation in South Carolina. Far superior than what they had in New Hampshire and Iowa."