Marcomentum Gives Way To Reality, As Rubio Yet Again Fails To Meet Expectations

Just over two weeks ago, Marco Rubio was touting his third-place finish in Iowa as “beating expectations,” despite losing to Ted Cruz and Donald Trump. His campaign framed it as an affirmation of his prospects moving forward, and a sign that their “3-2-1” plan was going exactly as planned.

Enter New Hampshire, where Rubio’s disappointing fifth-place finish ruptured his polished expectations-machine. Coming in behind Trump, John Kasich, Ted Cruz, and Jeb Bush, should have had RubioBot down for the count, but his campaign somehow managed to spin it as proof of an imminent “Marco surge.”

Endorsements from Senator Tim Scott, Representative Trey Gowdy, and — most importantly — Governor Nikki Haley, had things looking really good for Rubio in South Carolina coming into today. So, too, did a report that his campaign dropped $1.1 million on in-state South Carolina consultants. Just this Wednesday, a chief Rubio campaign strategist went public with Team Marco’s expectations: “I think we’re going to surprise a lot of people.” Things were looking up.

But here’s the thing: The night’s over — we’re through Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina — and Marco Rubio still hasn’t won a single state. Marco Rubio has yet to come remotely close to matching the high expectations he and his campaign have set and the press have enabled.

All we’ve got is 3-5-who cares, because it wasn’t first…

Sorry, Marco Rubio — South Carolina — like Iowa, and like New Hampshire — just is not into you.

Here’s how Team Marco yet again failed to meet expectation: