Ted Cruz beat Donald Trump, 28% to 24%.

Marco Rubio: 23%.
Ben Carson 9%.
Rand Paul 5%.
Jeb Bush 3%.
John Kasich 2%.
Carly Fiorina 2%.
Mike Huckabee 2%
Chris Christie 2%.

Mike Huckabee stated he is now officially out of the race.

This is Trump’s first defeat.  Still and all, in my estimation he was rather gracious when the results were unearthed.  He actually thanked Ted Cruz and congratulated him.  I found that somewhat un-Trump-like.

Did Trump hurt himself by not appearing at last Thursday’s debate?  Because, on the other hand, Rubio’s performance enhanced, clearly, his showing in the Iowa caucuses.  I believe Iowans thought Trump snubbed them.  I submit he would be ahead had he not.

That said, Rubio was only one point down from Trump.  And that means this:

It’s now officially a Three Man Race.  Thank God things got much simpler; it was past due time.

Literally, all the rest may now officially go away.  Not just may but should.

The Next Big Question:  of the seven left, who will throw their own endorsements to whom?

THE DEMORATS

As of this writing, it was 50 – 50 between Clinton and Sanders.  O’Malley garnered 1%.  Clinton with 696 to Sanders 692.  One whisker apart.  The Murdering, Lying Socialist slightly ahead of the Regular Socialist.

Martin O’Malley stated he too is officially out of the race.

It would appear that Bernie is more than holding his own.  Here’s what’s more clear: Clinton will not hold her own in New Hampshire.  Bernie will make Hillary feel The Bern.

NEXT WEEK?

NEW HAMPSHIRE.

BZ