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Donald Trump says he will win Ohio

Posted at 2:13 PM, Mar 01, 2016
and last updated 2016-03-02 09:55:52-05

COLUMBUS — Republican front-runner Donald Trump told supporters in a rally on Tuesday that he was going to win Ohio.

Speaking to thousands of people in a hangar at Port Columbus International Airport, Trump said he was in Columbus on Super Tuesday because he wants Ohio's vote in two weeks.

"Winning Ohio is so important," Trump said. "It's going to send a signal like nothing else."

The Ohio Republican presidential primary will be held on March 15. A total of 66 delegates are up for grabs in a winner-takes-all fashion. A win in Ohio would further consolidate Trump's position as the presidential nominee of the Republican party.

The Republican front-runner is leading the Republican primary field in Ohio with 31 percent of likely Republican primary voters, followed by Gov. John Kasich at 26 percent, according to the latest Quinnipiac University poll,

Trump was accompanied by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who endorsed the businessman last week.

Christie told supporters that Trump's "desperate opponents will say and do anything to tear him down" in the next two weeks, but he emphasized that the leader in the presidential race is Trump. 

"Washington D.C. has betrayed you, has betrayed this country," Christie said "We need someone to go down there and turn it upside down. And that's Donald Trump." 

The reality TV star also slammed the other presidential candidates, including former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. 

"Hillary Clinton doesn't have the strength or stamina to become president," Trump said. 

A new poll released by CNN showed Trump losing to both Democratic presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Clinton in hypothetical general election match-ups.

At least six protestors were kicked out of a Donald Trump rally on Tuesday during the Republican front-runner's speech.

About four people were initially kicked out for waving a Mexican flag together with a United States flag; then police escorted an additional two protestors out of the venue.

A third group of protesters was later ejected from the rally. Some protesters had their fists raised in a way similar to the Black Lives Matter gesture.

Trump's security has ejected protestorsstudents and journalists from his rallies and press conferences, but Trump said he enjoys having protesters as he recounted two of his past rallies.

"The first one had quite a few protestors...the second had none," he said. "The second speech I made was better, but you know what, it was more boring. I liked the first one more. I love my protestors."'

At a Las Vegas rally, Trump said he "would like to punch him in the face," referring to a protestor in the crowd.

To see what else happened at the rally, check out this recap of our live coverage

Joshua Lim is a fellow in the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism Statehouse News Bureau. You can reach him at joshielim93@gmail.com  or follow him on Twitter at @JoshuaLim93.