Embarrassment for Marco Rubio as He Trails Donald Trump by 23 Points in Home State of Florida

Republican presidential candidate, businessman Donald Trump, right and Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., speak during a break in the Republican presidential debate Thursday, March 10, 2016, in Coral Gables, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio has fallen 23 points behind frontrunner Donald Trump in Rubio’s home state of Florida, according to two new polls.

A CBS News poll showed Trump with 44 percent support in the critical state, with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in second with 24 percent and Rubio down to 21 percent.

An NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll that was also release on Sunday showed Trump with 43 percent, Rubio with 22 percent, and Cruz with 21 percent.

A Florida Atlantic University poll released on Saturday showed similar results.

The Florida senator has encouraged supporters in the state to vote for Kasich as a means of trumping Trump.

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But polls released on Friday showed Trump ahead in both states. A Fort Hays State University poll showed Trump with 36 percent support in Missouri, and Cruz with 29 percent support. 

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And a High Point University poll showed Trump with 48 percent support in North Carolina, ahead of Cruz’s 28 percent. Rubio and Kasich had single-digit support in the states.

The CBS and NBC polls both had a 4.4 percent margin of error.