March 10--REPORTING FROM MIAMI -- Republican rivals and establishment figures have tried every which tactic to stanch the rise of Donald Trump.
They have ignored him, mocked his temperament and hand size, attacked his business acumen, questioned his fitness for office in lofty speeches, and, this week, launched a crush of advertisements aimed at weakening him.
Now, days after one of the least decorous debates in modern political history, his remaining opponents will face off against him Thursday night in what could be the final match for two of them.
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Ohio Gov. John Kasich must win primary contests in their home states to have any chance of becoming the GOP nominee. Even if they win on Tuesday, it could be difficult to overtake Trump in the delegate count after his victories in 15 of the first 24 contests.
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who has the second-most delegates, has attacked Trump as too rash and volatile to lead the country. He has argued that he provides the most vivid contrast to Trump's idiosyncratic mix of policies and that Republicans eager to preserve the party's conservative core should rally around him.
Five states in all -- Florida, Ohio, Missouri, Illinois and North Carolina -- will hold primaries on Tuesday.
Polls show Trump with an especially large lead in Florida. Despite heavy rhetorical and financial support from establishment Republicans, Rubio's campaign has foundered. After a dismal showing in four contests that yielded zero delegates Tuesday, he has had to fend off speculation that he would withdraw from the race.
Rubio has led the attack against the reality TV star in recent debates.
He called Trump University -- a now-defunct series of get-rich real estate seminars that is the subject of numerous lawsuits -- one of several Trump-brand businesses that have ripped off consumers. He charged that the novice candidate lacked a serious grasp or interest in foreign policy.
Trump has shot back with full force, calling Rubio a lightweight and "Little Marco."
Trump demeaned Rubio during an unusual victory speech Tuesday night, in which he showcased Trump-branded products to counter charges that his businesses had failed.
The showmanship has partly masked Trump's struggle to explain himself on certain issues, including questions about whether he softened his hard-line immigration promises during a not-for-publication interview with the New York Times editorial board.
Trump said in a debate last week that soldiers would obey his commands to use waterboarding and to kill families of terrorists, even if the tactics were illegal. He later walked back those remarks, saying in a statement that he would not break the law or direct others to do so in fighting terrorism.
