Trump: If I Win Florida and Ohio, ‘It’s Over’

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In an excerpt of an interview CNN’s Anderson Cooper conducted with Republican front-runner that aired on CNN’s “The Lead,” Donald Trump said if he wins the primaries in Florida and Ohio, “It’s over.”

Partial transcript as follows:

COOPER: “Huge night last night. Did you — did you have any idea that you were going to win as big as you did?”

TRUMP: “Well, I felt good. Mississippi, I was there three or four times and it was like a lovefest so I felt very good about it. Michigan has been great. It’s been great for me for a long time. I have so many friends there. I had no idea it would be that big.”COOPER: “Do you think it’s the message on trade particularly in Michigan that was effective? We see Sanders winning as well with a very similar message on trade.”

TRUMP: “I think they want strength, I think they want military, I think they want to take care of vets, I think they hate ObamaCare. Ultimately it’s about jobs and the economy. You know, Michigan has been stripped. You look at those empty factories all over the place and nobody hits that message better than me.”

COOPER: “Two new polls out today, Quinnipiac, also CNN, both showing essentially the same thing. You are way ahead here in Florida, almost, I think, 2-1 against Rubio and even in Ohio leading Kasich six points and seven points in each poll. If you win Florida, if you win Ohio, is it over?”

TRUMP: “I think so, yeah. I think if I win those two, I think it’s over.”

COOPER: “If you win Ohio, Kasich drops out and you win Florida and Rubio is gone and it’s just you and Cruz, if you don’t get all the delegates needed to win by the convention –“

TRUMP: “Well, I think if I Ohio and if I win Florida, pretty much you’re going to be pretty much assured of doing that.”

COOPER: “You think you’ll get all the delegates?”

TRUMP: “I think so, yeah. I don’t see the convention going that route. I see probably getting the delegates. You know, it’s like the fighters, that’s the ultimate way of doing it. You knock them out. If you knock them out, nothing can happen.”

COOPER: “You want to go for a knockout.”

TRUMP: “I’d rather go for a knockout, yes.”

Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN

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