5 Things to Look For in Tonight’s South Carolina Republican Primary

Voters in South Carolina head to the polls today in the crucial South Carolina Republican primary. The campaigns have been slinging a lot of mud as some campaigns look to surge while other campaigns struggle to stay in the race. Here are the 5 things to look for in tonight's Republican primary.

1) Trump Wins, But by How Much?

Donald Trump is widely expected to win tonight's South Carolina primary. The big question is, how big will he win by? The Trump campaign would love to finish above 40%. Doing so could make Trump unbeatable as we head towards Super Tuesday. Finishing somewhere between 35% and 39% would meet expectations while still having a big win. 30% to 34% would fall below expectations and could give another candidate such as Ted Cruz or Marco Rubio an opening. If Trump finishes below 30% in South Carolina it could mean his campaign is falling apart.

2) Battle for Second Place

It's a battle for second between Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio in South Carolina. If Rubio can finish ahead of Cruz tonight, it could give him much needed momentum heading into states where he is not expected to win. If Cruz comes in second, he can continue to claim the status of the anti-Trump.

3) Kasich Rising

John Kasich is not expected to do well in South Carolina, but he has been rising in the latest polls out of South Carolina. If Kasich can pass Jeb Bush and finish in fourth place it would be impressive and may give Kasich a reason to stay in the race.

4) Goodbye Jeb?

If Jeb Bush finishes a distant third or fourth place, one would think his candidacy is over. There are rumors that the Bush campaign is running out of money and time. If Rubio finishes well ahead of Jeb or Jeb finishes below Kasich, watch for Bush to exit the race.

5) Carson Still Around?

Every poll shows Ben Carson in last place in South Carolina. Will this be it for Carson? It has to be... right?