carl icahn endorsed me. so many others have endorsed me. and we'll put these great that business people in charge of trade. when china wants to come and negotiate, they're going to negotiate not with a political hack which is what they have now. they're going to negotiate with the best business minds in the world. and we have them in this country. so we're going to do a lot of beautiful work. we're going to terminate obamacare. it will be terminated. it will be over. it will be repealed. and it will be replaced. so you're going to have much better health care at a much smaller cost. obamacare, look at the increases in your obamacare. 25, 35, 45, even 55%. it's dead. it's not working. we're going to a plan that will be so much better and so much less expensive.

so second amendment, by the way. this is a room. loves the second amendment. thank you, fellows. this is a room, loves and cherishes the second amendment. we are going to protect our second amendment. totally. common core is gone. we are getting rid of common core. we're bringing education to a local level. the people in this community, every time i see them, they want education locally. the parents, the teachers. they don't want bureaucrats in washington telling them how to educate their children. we spend as a nation more for education per pupil than any other nation in the world. not even close. more per pupil, second place doesn't even exist, it is so different. yet out of 30 countries, we're

ranked number 30. you have china, you have norway, sweden, denmark, and then you have number 30, the united states. so we spend the most and we're at the bottom of the heap. it's not going to happen anymore, folks. not going to happen. we are going to build our military which i thank because a number of the people came down. a number of the pundits watching tonight. we love our military. we love our military. and by the way, we love our police. our police are terrific. we love our police. they are not being treated properly. we're going to build our military so big, so good, so strong, so powerful that nobody is ever going to mess with us, folks. and we're going to buy, we're going to buy the equipment that

our generals, our soldiers, everybody that is in the know want. we're not buying equipment that sells because they have political, because they take campaign and they give campaign contributions. we are going to get the equipment that they want. not the equipment that they're told to have by senators and congressmen in washington. we'll have great equipment. the reason i can say that is i'm self-funding my campaign, i'm not getting millions of dollars from all of these special interests and lobbyists and donors that once they get it they literally do whatever the politicians want. that's not going to happen. and we're going to take care of our vets. we love our vets and they're being treateder the -- treated terribly. we're taking care of our vets.

so we're now off to nevada. we have great people in our nation. no matter where we go. i went to mobile, alabama of 35,000 people. we went to oklahoma twice. 20,000 people, 20,000 people. no matter where we go, we fill up the arenas. over here the other day, we had a 9,000, a 10,000, we have people. the only thing that stops the crowds are the walls. we can't get them in. we have to send thousands of people away. "time" magazine did a cover, they said it's a movement. that's what it is. it's an incredible movement. an incredible movement with incredible people. >> usa! usa! usa! an incredible movement with

incredible people. whether we go to dallas or whether we go anywhere you say, you go to l.a., you go anywhere you say. our people are incredible. our theme, what's our theme? our theme which i love may be the greatest theme of all time. right? and the word again eventually will come off. what will happen, make america great again, right? the last two weeks because i've gotten to see so many millions when you add them all up with all the rooms and all the speeches. i've met so many people. but the people are so incredible. that i've been saying, make america great again and it is going to be greater than ever before. that's the potential that we have. greater than ever before. i love you all.

i want to thank everybody. south carolina, we will never forget you. we will never forget you. we love our volunteers. we'll never forget all the people that have helped us so much. my family, folks, let's go. let's have a big win in nevada. let's a have a big win at the s.e.c. let's put this away and let's make america great again. thank you very much. [ applause ] >> the winner of the south carolina primary, donald j. trump. so what do you make of the acceptance speech? >> what a book end. jeb bush gets out. immediately donald trump declares victory.

the timing of it poetic in a number of ways. that's a very confident donald trump. i noticed he was gracious to his chief opponents, cruz and rubio. let's see how long that lasts. i think it is essentially rubio will be the one. he will have to be the most fearful of. the big news tonight is jeb dropping out in this respect, it means he does have a ton of money people. does money matter anymore? we'll find out. but all of those people will move to rubio. whatever is left of this establishment wing of the party. and we have to question how much juice they really have. they'll put their chips in with rubio. so he'll have the resources. so seeing how that argument is framed between two of them it will be immigration. we know where it will go. this is what has been trump's strength. look how he does the audience back and forth. who will pay for that wall? and the whole audience jumps in.

i think a's what the next couple of weeks is going to be like for marco rubio. it will be interesting to see how he handles it. what will he do to fight back against trump on the issue of immigration? i keep coming back to that issue. we talk about, i can't believe trump did this in a week that he defended planned parenthood. came out for health care mandate, trashed george w. bush. there's one issue he is in tune with with republican primary voters. immigration. >> i'm thinking of the american astronaut who is spending one year in space. if he were up there without the ability to get news coverage, and lands in kazakhstan and someone says, we should bring you up to date on politics since you've been gone. [ laughter ] >> the nominees are hillary clinton, and the guy is like, uh-huh? and? and then he passes out. >> this is all a plot to increase viewership tomorrow morning on "meet the press"? >> speaking of, our lead guest. you just saw him speak. we'll have him live first thing in the morning. donald trump. >> you don't need my help to

pump up "meet the press" tomorrow morning. >> we have it, buddy. it's been pretty good. >> i would get to bed and start prepping for that. >> there is been no poll since early november which showed anybody leading in south carolina other than donald trump. it should not feel like a surprise. it should not feel like news that donald trump won in south carolina. still, it will never not be surprising to look up to that podium and see donald trump declaring victory. all the more so when we have jeb bush leaving the race. i would like to make one note on that money point which chuck was just making. it will be very interesting to see what will happen to the trail of money that has followed jeb bush into the race. obviously, the way that jeb bush became the establishment candidate was not by being born jeb bush. it was because he raised $100 million in the blink of an eye to start off the race. >> and it was because he was born a bush. >> he just tapped those donor networks.

he stacked up $100 million. it was the, forgive me, it was the shock and awe strategy that his brother used in 2000 to scare everybody else out of the race. and i think the tragedy of the sort of political, the tragedy of the way the jeb bush campaign fell apart is the way they spent themselves into oblivion. if you're jeb bush and this race is going to have donald trump as the nominee or maybe ted cruz as the nominee or maybe untested marco rubio as the nominee, that is such a fragile state. you want to be there so you are another option. with $100 million to sit on, he should have been able to stay until the very end. instead, who was the number one spender in iowa? jeb bush. who was the number one spender in new hampshire? jeb bush. who was the number one spender in south carolina? jeb bush. when he's coming in fourth and sixth places in all of these states. >> spending $2,000 per vote in many cases. >> he should have been able to stay on until the very end when

there was a candidate that the establishment candidate was really rattled by. because of the way they spent money, they blew it. he has to get out now. he has been running on fumes. they have zero hard dollars left and almost all the super pac money is gone. absolute political malpractice. whether or not you like jeb bush as a candidate and as a talent, the way that campaign was run is absolutely ridiculous. >> it is not about the money. it is the strategic decision. it is what lauren alluded to. >> to spend money for nothing? >> they've all spent mind boggling amounts of money. >> he spent the most. >> the strategic decision that will be dissected as people now begin the process of looking at what went wrong will be what you alluded to. that trump successfully branded him the day -- he did as chuck said. he announced the morning after jeb. he rode down that escalator. and i remember talking to him over the summer. what are you going to do about trump?

we have to win our lane. we have to stay focused on our lane. we think there will be an outsider primary and an establishment primary. he was not just winning in the primary because he was a bush. he was a very popular, very successful cutting edge on republican policies at the time governor, who is typically someone that we like. so the strategic decision that we second-guess was the decision not to take on trump. >> had he ridden along in the polls, bumping along at 5 and 6 and 7 and 8%, doing poorly, but he had not spent all his money for nothing. to come in fourth and sixth places in these places. he could have just held on until deep into the race if he still had money to spend. and he could have held on through all this stuff. let people redefine him. let people brand him. because that was a super dz because it was a soup superficial insult, it could have washed off him. he can't last being in a different place. his super pac in his campaign spent his money like it was on

fire. he was very poorly served. >> i think the questions will be about who they targeted. >> they spent it for nothing. >> his party needs him out of the race tonight. when he finished at 8%. if he came in at less than 8% tonight in south carolina, his party would need him to get out. they're looking at marco rubio's 22. let's add that. that takes him to 36. you add kasich and bush to rubio and you have a winner. >> you also have marco rubio as your candidate. if the republican establishment were in a place where they were worried about marco rubio. let's say that chatty kathy malfunction was not a one-time thing and he is desperately unprepared. at that point you want somebody else to turn to. if you look down and the only other person is ben carson

you have not solved your problem. >> based on what you've seen on the stage, would you rather back bush or rubio in a general election? >> ask me in four months. >> chris matthews, if you can hear me in las vegas, we're coming to you after we hear from marco rubio among the first and largest embraces was governor nikki haley behind him. let's listen to marco rubio. >> thank you, thank you. >> marco! marco! >> thank you. first of all, i want to begin by, i want to begin by congratulating donald trump. we haven't had a chance to speak yet. he won here tonight. but after tonight, this has become a three-person race and we will win the nomination. [ applause ] i also a few moments ago got to see on television, i haven't had a chance to speak to him yet,

governor bush and his announcement. i have an incredible affection and admiration, not just for governor bush but his family and their service to our country. [ applause ] jeb bush has many things to be proud of. he is an extraordinary husband, he is an extraordinary father, he was the greatest governor in the history of florida. and i believe and i pray that his service to our country has not yet ended. and i thank jeb bush for everything he did for the state of florida and for running a campaign based on ideas and i pray for him and his family tonight as they move forward in other endeavors in their life. [ applause ] tonight in south carolina, the message is pretty clear.

this country is now ready for a new generation of conservatives to guide us into the 21st century. [ applause ] for the time has now come after eight years of failure to return to the constitution of the united states that made us the freest people that have ever lived. [ applause ] the time has now come for leaders that will reembrace free enterprise that has made us the most prosperous people that have ever lived. and the time has come to rebuild our military because the world is a better, a safer and more stable place when we are the strongest military in the world. we as a nation have faced troubling times before. in fact, 36 years ago, this nation faced a period of doubt. after a failed presidency, it felt like america was in

decline. our economy was stagnant and the american dream felt like it was slipping away. and then we elected a president that inspired us. a president who asked us to remember who we were and who believed as we do that america's greatest days always lie ahead. ronald reagan -- [ applause ] ronald reagan made us believe that it was morning in america again and it was. well, now the children of the reagan revolution are ready to assume the mantle of leadership. [ applause ] now those of us who grew up when it was morning in america and ronald reagan was in the white house are ready to do for our generation, are ready to do for the next generation what ronald

reagan did for ours. and who is this conservative movement in the 21st century? because our principles remain the same. who are we? my friends, the 21st century conservatives are the son of a single mother who grew up in poverty and was almost lost. and today he serves this state as its junior senator, tim scott. [ applause ] the 21st century conservative movement is the daughter of immigrants from india who wanted their children to have all the

opportunities they never did. who faced the string of prejudice and yet because of the greatness of our country today, nikki haley is the governor of a state where it is always a great day. [ applause ] and the 21st century conservative movement is the son of a bartender and a maid from cuba who tonight stands one step closer to being the 45th president of the united states of america! [ applause ] >> marco! marco! >> we are a nation, we are a nation and a people that celebrate success. we are a nation that admire people that have worked hard and moved ahead. and as conservatives, we will

always celebrate success but we fight for those still trying to make it. if tonight you are that single mother who has made it the purpose of your life to seek to leave your children better off than yourself in the 21st century, we conservatives will fight for you. [ applause ] if you are watching tonight and you are that father that works two jobs so that your kids can have all the chances you never did, in the 21st century, we conservatives will fight for you. if you're the 17-year-old high school student who wants a big future and so you get up well before dawn to take two buses to a better school halfway across town. who gets home late at night to do homework because that you kn god has made you for more

than what people arod you tell you you were made for. in the 21st century, we conservatives will fight for you. [ applause ] we will fight for you because we come from where you are now. because we live the way you live now. and we know that limited government and free enterprise and a strong national defense is a better way forward for you, for me, for us, and for the united states of america. tonight, for those watching at home, i ask you to join us in this effort. this has been a long road. there were many people on this campaign when it first started. many good people. will many of whom in any other year would have been a front-runner.

but now practically speaking it is down to three. and i know that our campaign gives us the best chance, not just to come together, not just to unify our party, but to unify our country and to grow this movement. i ask you to go on our website. if you're watching tonight, i ask you to go on our website right now. marcorubio.com and join our campaign. [ applause ] 60 years ago a young couple from cuba came to america in search of a new beginning, a second chance, a fresh start. and america changed their lives. of course, i'm talking about my parents. >> spoiler alert! [ laughter ] >> ten days ago their son

arrived in south carolina after a difficult election in new hampshire in search of a new beginning and a fresh start. and many thought it was over. some had doubts about whether we would wind up here even now. for me the state of south carolina will be the place of new beginnings and fresh starts. i know god's hand is on everything. and so whatever god's will is, in this election is what will ultimately happen to us and our country. but if it is god's will, that i should serve as the 45th president, if it is, if it is god's will, that we should win this election, then history will say that on this night in south

carolina, we took the first step forward in the beginning of a new american century. thank you, south carolina! thank you, god bless you! [ cheers and applause ] >> you would think we had called second place. we have not yet but marco rubio has a lot of reason to be happy for tonight's result. especially coming off the week he had after a bad debate appearance. chris matthews has been so patiently waiting in las vegas. chris, as we look at the scene on stage, this is the candidate you have been talking about the most. vis-a-vis the candidate the democrats fear the most, marco rubio. >> i think he is the biggest remaining threat to donald trump. i think they may be equally balanced in terms of their strengths but i think he is the future. i think he would be the best bet

if you're a money guy to put your money against donald trump. i think he is the best argument for hillary clinton. age matters. if you imagine him going against bernie sanders, you have to give to it rubio. he looks like the president, looking ahead. bernie turns 75 in september. this guy is the average age, a bit below the average age of the presidents we elect. he looks good on the stage. he has recovered. he's the man of patriotism and i have begun to hear the phrase he is going on use to scare what may be the democrats out of nominating bernie sanders or go after him if he does get nominated. free enterprise. you heard it again tonight. he is clearly running against the guy who is proud to call himself a democratic socialist. so he's running politically now, claiming a big comeback here. and he is a man of spirituality. i think he is very religious in a quiet way and i think that will give him a lot of confidence going into these big fights with trump and the field of combat.

>> chris, i said this earlier tonight. while the democrats have their own gender gap and age gap, i think there is an excitement gap in this race. and i think the republicans own the excitement of this race. >> well, certainly there is nothing like a trump rally. a trump rally. there is nothing like a bernie rally. so in a sense they're offering shake-ups of the establishment. one more ideological. the other is the great man theory. make america great again by putting a great man in the white house is what trump is saying. over and over again. almost napoleonic. my person will change this country. by being in the presidency, things will happen because i'm there. bernie sanders argues, things will happen if we shift to a more social democratic approach to government. not being fearful of government but using it for redistributive purposes, for health care, education, all the good things we believe in.

but putting more oomf into them. what rubio is offering is old time religion. patriotism, free enterprise. we can do it. we're all immigrants together. we can make this country great again because we want to. this race is really beginning on the republican side to look like a slow motion version of an old time political convention. where one candidate comes into the convention with the most delegates. the one in second begins to move up a bit but neither can gain. a third one comes along and begins to pick up. by the fifth or sixth, that person is the leader. if you're betting on rubio, and i am betting on rubio to do well here, is a dynamic that goes among the three guys eventually, cruz fades, trump fades. he moves up the middle, a republican that most republicans can live with. >> all right. >> a consensus. >> chris matthews has been around the business of politics a long time.

we're waiting to pounce on the cruz speech when he comes into the ballroom. in the interim, we will take a quick break and come right back. donald trump is the winner in the south carolina gop primary, and nbc news now says that with almost all of the vote counted, it appears park mark will finish in second place with 23% of the vote. he beats out ted cruz who finishes in third place with 22% of the vote. donald trump takes his second consecutive primary win, grabbing 33% of the vote. the gop field now heads to nevada for tuesday's gop caucus there. the other big story in the gop place tonight is the announcement of former governor jeb bush. he is suspending his campaign. bush finished with 8% tonight.

meanwhile, nbc projects hillary clinton as the winner of the democratic caucus in nevada. clinton rolled to a solid win, beating bernie sanders by a 53 to 47% margin. announcer: through sunday

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the first result we called tonight was the caucus in nevada for the democrats for hillary clinton. then nbc news projected the winner in south carolina. donald trump. that is all we have called. and this could go a while. second, third place, there's nothing separating the two in terms of percentage. so just a reminder that the race below donald trump is still open. and we just heard from marco rubio, sounding for all the world like he had been awarded second place. still up in the air. we're waiting to hear from ted

cruz. and as you heard, because the stakes feel so high tonight. because from this field, from all of what we've discussed tonight will emerge the next president of the united states. the departure of jeb bush was, had an emotional value beyond the departure of jeb bush from the race. kerry sanders is standing by with some folks at bush headquarters on that very topic. kerry? >> as you can see, they've closed the partition into the room. the room is empty where jeb bush gave his speech. most of those who have gathered have left. of course, jeb bush was the punching bag for donald trump in the very beginning. now the question becomes for jeb bush supporters, like jeanie farmer who is here with us, if donald trump becomes the eventual nominee, can you support donald trump? >> not me personally. >> because? >> the office of the president of the united states should be a position of dignity and respect and donald trump does not

exemplify somebody of character. he is not somebody who, if i were to vote for him, i couldn't explain it to my two young boys why i voted for him. he is not a man that i respect. he is a man who has trashed women and muslims, people of multiple faiths and religions, he is in a fight with the pope. he is a bad choice from a character perspective. >> where does that leave you as a republican if he turns out becoming the nominee? >> that's a good question. i'm not sure. i joke with my husband about possibly moving out of the country. that's mostly a joke. i love my country and america and where it is going. i'm just not sure, i don't know. >> could you support either bernie sanders or hillary clinton? >> over trump. yes, i can. >> and you're a republican. >> yes. >> this is all based on what you've seen during the campaign? why is jeb bush with his mommy,

why is he taking his glasses off. >> yes. he acts like my kids do when they are 2. you can't throw a temper tantrum and think you're worthy of my vote. it will take one person from a different country when he is elected to office and trump will throw a temper tantrum? are we going to have a war all of a sudden because he didn't like what somebody said? >> are you wonders about a third party candidate? >> yes. there is already talk, if trump were to become the nominee, that somebody else would jump in. i'm going to cling to that hope. that somebody might get in as may be a third party candidate or -- >> like who? i would say michael bloomberg? >> i don't know him personally. obviously he hasn't been vetted by the media or the voters. i would like a little chance to get to know him before i would say i would vote for him but he appears to be a better option than trump. >> okay. thank you very much. a republican saying some things that some others in the room had to say as well. very much stung by the

relationship and what developed between donald trump and jeb bush during this campaign. and of course, now it's for donald trump and the remaining candidates to see if they can eventually win this. and i guess, it really works out that we always see that in the campaigns, in the primaries, the candidates always take each other down and then the supporters and the voters eventually coalesce around one person. at least listening to jeanie, that won't happen to her and some others in the room with donald trump. >> fascinating. i will say, talking to people in new hampshire who are undecided voters. i heard a lot of crossover interest. with donald trump as such a factor in the republican race, much more than i expected. i was talking to people who were making up their minds and new hampshire went for donald trump. people who were not interested in him were interested in conservative republican candidates, in more moderate republican candidates and potentially in either bernie sanders or hillary clinton. and it is, there is something

about him that is cross ideological in a way that absolutely works for him but also means that the opposition to him could cut in such unpredictable ways. >> you don't know how that would cut. the headline, there are two huge headlines out of south carolina. one, donald trump, won. he did. and he creamed them. he won by a substantial margin. the other big headline to me is the end of the bush dynasty. i mean, that's huge. this is one of the most consequential families in american history. >> to have had it happen in south carolina with both poppy bush and w having won there. for jeb not to just lose there but for jeb to end his hopes there, it is shakespearean. >> i have to say, the bushes are at their sort of core, very pragmatic and sophisticated political strategists. and i think they would appreciate giving some credit to the campaign run by marco rubio.

jeb bush was one of his mentors and sponsors in florida state politics. there is very much about the bush legacy that is alive in rubio's very promising win. whatever happens tonight, rubio is clearly seizing the mantle. his candidacy is exciting. we talked at the beginning of the night about his rebound. everyone talk about his disastrous debate performance and his fifth place new hampshire performance. he corrected himself so quickly. this is a campaign where everything washes out. every sin washes out in the hot water wash. and rubio has completely cleansed himself of a debacle of a debate performance. he is on the rise. the conservative media circles, there is a knife fight underway between those who are advocating for cruz, who is the purest ideological conservative. those who are excited by trump burning down everything and starting over. and those who see rubio, particularly on national security. what is interesting about the top three finishers.

trump has really no record on military matters. he said that he gets his military advice from the generals. cruz has a very mixed record on national security. he is voted, he's done some things that make people question his commitment to a really robust intel policy on the lines of what bush and cheney put in place. rubio really does have the mantle of traditional strong national security and a lot of republicans are excited about rubio. so you keep talking about the enthusiasm gap. people are excited. there is something for everyone on the menu now. >> there is an enthusiasm gap. republicans are voting in huge numbers. democrats not so huge. >> they really like their guy. >> but rubio could be the up and comer. the eventual nominee. at some point he has to win a primary. >> absolutely. >> the second place fight in south carolina is very much too close to call with 94% of the vote in. both that rubio and cruz at 22%. we saw a triumphant speech from

marco rubio just moments ago. and now we are about to hear from the man who he is effectively tied for second, texas senator ted cruz. [ applause ] >> ted! ted! >> god bless the great state of south carolina. friends, once again, we have made history. you, the good people of south carolina, and our incredible volunteers, all over the country, continue to defy the

pundits and to produce extraordinary results. let me say a word about governor jeb bush. a man who had a terrific record as governor of the state of florida, who brought job creation and education innovation to the people of florida. a man who ran a campaign based on ideas, based on policy, based on substance. a man who didn't go to the gutter and engage in insults and attacks. governor bush brought honor and dignity to this race. tonight he has suspended his campaign, but heidi and i give

our very best to jeb and their entire extraordinary family. we wish them the best and we thank them for their remarkable campaign. i want to thank our tremendous team in south carolina. congressman jeff duncan. congressman mark sanford. and former attorney general charlie condit. [ applause ] senator lee bright. and representatives bill

chumlee and gary smith and mike burns and jay gordon. [ applause ] and ray nash and pastor mike gonzalez. [ applause ] and heroic volunteers like david and shawn and kay and all seven of their terrific kids. and the nearly 500 south carolina pastors that endorsed and joined this campaign. first iowa, then new hampshire. now south carolina. we don't know the exact results right now. right now we are effectively tied for second place.

but each time defying expectations and causing the pundits -- [ applause ] >> ted! ted! ted! >> indeed, the screaming you hear now from across the potomac is the washington cartel in full terror that the conservative grassroots are rising up. before we reflect on what we have together accomplished, i would like to pause for a moment of silence in honor of a great man, an american hero, justice antonin scalia.

[ moment of silence ] today i attended justice scalia's funeral. i had the honor of knowing him for 20 years. he was brilliant, principled, faithful, and a ferocious defender of the constitution and the bill of rights. as ronald reagan was to the presidency, so, too, was justice scalia to the u.s. supreme court. [ applause ] his passing one week ago today, underscores the enormous stakes of this election.

it is not just one but two branches of government at stake. and justice scalia's replacement will not be decided by the washington power brokers. [ applause ] it will be decided by we the people. this election will be a referendum on the supreme court. and i'll tell you this. i cannot wait to stand on that debate stage with hillary clinton or bernie sanders or whatever other socialist they nominate. [ applause ] and make the case against their radical vision of the

constitution that would strip away life and marriage and religious liberty and the second amendment and the basic rights of every american citizen. in iowa, they said it couldn't be done. and we won. in new hampshire, they said a conservative, a bible believing christian, could not compete. and we defied expectations. and tonight, despite millions and millions of dollars of false and nasty attacks, despite the entirety of the political establishment coming together

against us, south carolina has given us another remarkable result. together, iowa, new hampshire, and south carolina tell us three things. first that conservatives continue to unite behind our campaign. if you are a conservative, this is where you belong. because only one strong conservative is in a position to win this race. >> ted! ted! ted!

>> second, we are the only campaign that has beaten and can beat donald trump. that's why donald relentlessly attacks us and ignores all the other candidates. now, i congratulate donald on his victory tonight. but i will say this to the people of america. if you don't believe that donald trump is the best candidate to run against hillary clinton in november, if you believe we need a strong contrast with the democrats, -- [ cheers and applause ]

then we welcome you aboard our team. we welcome you to be part of the over 200,000 volunteers and the over 980,000 volunteers contributions at tedcruz.org. join us at tedcruz.org. >> ted! ted clam >> ted! ted! >> and the third lesson of iowa, new hampshire and south carolina, only one candidate remaining has a consistent conservative record. other candidates engage in nonstop personal attacks. we have not and we will not

respond in kind. [ applause ] there is a reason other candidates resort to insults and it is that they cannot defend the substance of their record. candidates resort to insults and it is that they cannot defend the substance of th record. there is only one candidate who has led the fight against amnesty. who has led the fight against obamacare. who has led the fight to defend life, marriage and religious liberty. >> who has led the fight to

protect our right to keep and bear arms under the second amendment. who will fight to pass a simple flat tax and abolish the irs. only one candidate has stood up to the corrupt deal making in washington, said no to the corporate welfare and, indeed, only one candidate took on the ethanol mandate in iowa and won. [ cheers and applause ] as president, i will rebuild our military.

stand unequivocally with the nation of israel. and utterly destroy isis. [ cheers and applause ] >> together we will secure the borders and keep america safe. and i give you my solemn word that every justice i appoint in the u.s. supreme court will be a principled constitutionalist who will be faithful and will vigorously protect the fundamental rights of our children and grandchildren. when i look at our young

daughters, caroline and katherine, i know that i will fight with every breath in my body to ensure that they enjoy the same fundamental liberties that all of us have been blessed to inherit. [ applause ] >> it's why i fight. it's why everyone here fights. because we love our children and we will not go quietly into the night and give up on a brighter america. [ cheers and applause ] >> and now the race turns to nevada and the supertuesday and the so-called sec primary.

and iowa, new hampshire and south carolina have given the voters a clear, defined choice. you can go with washington deal makers -- [ audience boos ] >> or we can stand together with a proven, consistent, constitutional conservative and bring back morning in america. [ cheers and applause ] >> each of you is amazing and together we will win the nomination. we will beat the democrats in november.

[ applause ] >> and we will restore this last best hope of mankind that is the united states of america. thank you and god bless you! [ cheers and applause ] >> if it isn't record turnout for the republicans, it is awfully close and ted cruz just became the second person to reference "morning in america." we still don't know who our second place finisher is in south carolina tonight. >> it's really down to the wire. >> we've only declared the winner. >> we've got a five-man race in the republican field with jeb bush suspending his campaign tonight. ben carson and john kasich at the bottom of the list. both have addressed their supporters already tonight. so this will be the last speech that we see tonight from ted cruz. ted cruz again giving sort of a long speech. both he and marco rubio saying tonight that they will capture

the republican nomination. we saw ted cruz talking specifically about the challenges of trying to win the general election already, sort of leap frogging to the end of that. but also looking right into the camera and asking the people of the united states of america to nominate basically somebody like him instead of something like donald trump. >> ted cruz goes on. both cruz and rubio had kind words for jeb bush, who pulled out tonight. >> it remains to be seen whether he reorganizes the money in terms of for nonbush supporting candidates, to see if he had enough donors to make a substantial chances. >> like the candidates in the

race, we keep on. we're going to take a break and we'll be back at the top of the hour.

i have to wait for at that little thing to land. >> it's not a drone. it had no arm attached. don't worry. >> we should reestablish here, we have projected exactly two winners this evening. the first one was out west a while back, several hours ago, when we projected hillary clinton the winner of the nevada caucus. a preview here, expect toea