Republican Party presidential primaries, 2016 (President Rubio)

The 2016 Republican presidential primaries are held between January 4th to June 10th 2016. Marco Rubio, senator of Florida becomes the favorite running mate to win the Republican nomination. His challengers are Chris Cristie, governor of New Jersey, Paul Ryan, representative of Wisconsin and former running mate of Mitt Romney in 2012, and Rand Paul, senator of Kentucky. There is 2286 delegates to be choose and a candidate needs to accumulate 1144 delegates to win the nomination. On mid-March, Rubio secures the nomination and becomes the first Hispanic to become the presidential candidate of a major party.















Candidates:

After Mitt Romney's loss in 2012, Republicans were looking for a stronger candidate for 2016. With his youth (41 years old), his conservative faith and the fact that he is Hispanic, Marco Rubio, senator of Florida, became the favorite candidate for the GOP. With the approval of the immigration reform bill of the Gang of 8 in the Senate and the House of the representatives, the GOP gains more support among ethnic minorities, including Hispanics, the most growing ethny in the USA. It gives more popularity for Rubio to run for president in 2016. On April 8th 2015, Rubio announces he runs for president. The other candidates for the Republican presidential nomination are Chris Cristie, governor of New Jersey, Paul Ryan, representative of Wisconsin and former running mate of Mitt Romney in 2012, and Rand Paul, senator of Kentucky. There is 2286 delegates to be choose and a candidate needs to accumulate 1144 delegates to win the nomination. During the presidential primaries, Marco Rubio broadcasts ads against governor Cristie describing him as a politician missing conservative faith. Another ad broadcast by Rubio's campaign team attacks Paul Ryan for not being dynamic enough to lead the party and for not being able to carry Wisconsin for Mitt Romney in 2012 despite the fact that Ryan is born in Wisconsin and a Representative of this state. This ad allows Rubio to surpass Ryan in his own home state with 36% against 34% for his opponent. Leading a dynamic campaign with a patriotic and conservative message of hope, Rubio wins 49 states on 51. He secures the Republican nomination on the mid-March after winning Pennsylvania over Cristie. After gaining the nomination, Rubio chooses Jeb Bush, former governor of Florida, as his running mate to hold the Republican Party together.
 * Marco Rubio, U.S. Senator from Florida since 2011; Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives 2007 – 2009
 * Chris Cristie, governor of New Jersey since 2010
 * Paul Ryan, 2012 vice-presidential nominee; U.S. Representative from Wisconsin since 1999
 * Rand Paul, senator of Kentucky

Results:

Marco Rubio: 49 states + DC, 60% of the popular vote, 1885 delegates

Chris Cristie: 2 states, 20% of the popular vote, 171 delegates

Paul Ryan: 0 state, 15% of the popular vote, 139 delegates

Rand Paul: 0 state, 5% of the popular vote, 91 delegates