Local Republican leaders like what they see from most Presidential candidates, but not Trump

Most of the Republican candidates did a good job in their Tuesday night debate, according to Gina Worthen, vice chair for the Cache County Republican Party. Worthen says she felt the candidates spoke with real substance and they were better able to explain their views on the issues than in previous debates.

Senator Ted Cruz has long been Worthen’s favorite candidate, closely followed by Senator Marco Rubio and then New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

Worthen says she is no fan of Donald Trump and she is surprised he is still in the race.

“There’s not a lot of substance to him,” Worthen says. “I think he’s got the celebrity factor, he’s got the I’m-not-a-politician factor. He’s really good at coming up with one-liners and commanding the media.

“He has just completely commanded media coverage with the stuff he does. But I’m still surprised. I feel like once you start getting into the nitty gritty he doesn’t have a clue what he’s talking about, he doesn’t really know what he’s saying. At least that’s how he comes across.”

Worthen says Jeb Bush looked better than usual and she liked it when he said “Donald Trump thinks he can insult his way to the presidency.” She says, however, it looks like Trump does have staying power.

Trump’s proposal to ban Muslims coming into the United States for the time being was a hot topic at the debate and has been unpopular with Utahns. In fact, a Dan Jones & Associates poll shows that two-thirds of Utahns disagree with Trump’s Muslim stand with just one-third agreeing with it.

Cache County Republican Party Chairman Boyd Pugmire says he would not want to see Trump as the Republican presidential nominee. Pugmire does not expect that to happen.

From the start Pugmire has had two favorites: Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio. He still believes Bush has a chance.

“Right now he just needs to keep plugging along and doing what he’s doing,” Pugmire says. “He needs to keep raising money, get out in the public, telling his message, showing that he is presidential, that he has the knowledge that is needed, that he has a better grasp on reality of what needs to happen within the country.”

Pugmire says he believes Rubio would be able to get a lot of support from the Latino population.

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