Republican presidential candidates heading to North Texas | Fort Worth Star-Telegram

They’re on their way.

At least four Republican presidential hopefuls are heading to North Texas after Thursday night’s GOP presidential debate in Houston.

Texas, with its generous number of delegates, is seen as a critical battleground for Republican candidates hoping to catch up with front-runner Donald Trump.

Marco Rubio will kick things off with a Friday morning rally in Dallas. Trump will follow that with a noon rally at the Fort Worth Convention Center.

Ben Carson will attend a presidential town hall meeting in Irving on Saturday morning, and Ted Cruz is expected to hold an event in North Texas before the March 1 primary.

“It’s not surprising they are coming here,” said Jim Riddlesperger, a political science professor at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. “We are one of the biggest metropolitan areas in the country.

“They will hit every big media market here.”

Just days before the March 1 primary election, candidates are making plans to barnstorm North Texas, hoping to boost support and bring new voters over to their side.

Texas is among a dozen states heading to the polls on March 1, known as Super Tuesday. Early voting here runs through Friday.

Here’s a look at who will be in North Texas:

Rubio: At 9 a.m. Friday, the Florida senator will hold a rally to “share his vision for A New American Century” at the Klyde Warren Park in Dallas. Anyone who wants to attend must RSVP online through Eventbrite and get a ticket for the free event. Any questions may be emailed to events@marcorubio.com.

Trump: The New York businessman and former reality TV star will hold a noon rally Friday at the Fort Worth Convention Center, just as Barack Obama did in 2008. Anyone who wants to attend must RSVP online through Eventbrite and get a ticket for the free event. The contract for Trump’s event, which will be in the convention center arena that seats around 8,000, was just signed Tuesday afternoon, said Kirk Slaughter, the city’s public events director. The cost of renting the arena is around $16,000.

Carson: At 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Carson plans to participate in the NE Tarrant Tea Party Presidential Town Hall in the Post and Live Oak rooms of the Westin DFW Airport Hotel, 4545 W. Hwy 114, Irving.

Cruz: Texas’ junior senator is expected to be back in North Texas for a campaign event before Election Day. Details were not available late Tuesday.

All this comes on the heels of a Democratic rally Monday night in Dallas, where former President Bill Clinton spoke on behalf of his wife, Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton.

“We have moved into the wholesale politics part of this race,” Riddlesperger said. “Up until now, it’s been retail politics and they could go to little towns and shake everybody’s hands.

“Now they are going to hit every big media market.”