Southern Colorado GOP voters watch debate, some yearn for two-man race

Faithful Southern Colorado Republicans gathered Thursday night at Stargazers Theater in Colorado Springs to take in the 12th GOP debate of the 2016 primary campaign.

The remaining four GOP presidential hopefuls were back on the stage just five days before pivotal primaries in Florida and Ohio.

But, GOP voter Margie Schrader argues there were two candidates too many.

“I would like to see Cruz and Trump,” Schrader said. “I think those are the only two who could possibly win and they are not connected to the quote establishment.”

After the Florida and Ohio contests next week, some Republicans want Marco Rubio and John Kasich to keep running in an attempt to stop Trump from capturing 1237 delegates and clinching the nomination.

“I think frankly the Republican establishment or whatever you want to call it should embrace what’s happening,” Trump said in Miami Thursday night.

El Paso County is Cruz country,” El Paso GOP executive director Daniel Cole said. “He began this campaign as the establishment’s arch enemy, now he’s the establishment’s last best hope to stop Donald Trump.”

Some Republicans desperately want to nominate a true conservative and they say Donald Trump embodies anything but conservatism.

“I want to make sure us fellow conservatives get together and nominate a conservative,” Isaiah Hess said. “The only way that will happen is if we have a two-man race.”

Hess won’t back the billionaire businessman.

“My commitment is to freedom and the Constitution, Donald Trump does not hold any of those values I hold dear.”

A Suffolk University Poll out Thursday shows Trump leading in Rubio in Florida by nine points. Other polls show Trump up double digits.

The race in Ohio is close between Trump and Gov. John Kasich

Kasich said he will drop out if he loses his home state Tuesday.