Republicans Cast Into Turmoil as Donald Trump Rides the Populist Surge

By Philip Sherwell. For Donald Trump the entrepreneur, it was a damaging week. Two major television networks severed ties, Macy’s dropped his clothing line and Carlos Slim, the even richer Mexican tycoon, ended a joint venture with him.

But for Donald Trump the inveterate showman and Republican challenger for president, the week was a triumph as he climbed in the opinion polls and dominated media coverage, despite the backlash against his decision to condemn Mexican immigrants as rapists and drug traffickers.

“Wow, Huffington Post just stated that I am number one in the polls of Republican candidates,” the brash billionaire bragged as the week closed, citing the liberal media outlet that has been a platform for many of the strongest attacks on him. “Thank you, but the work has just begun!”

Mr Trump was touting his first place in an average of 105 polls. Of the 14 candidates who have declared, Trump topped the field with 13.6 per cent support to 13.3 per cent for Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor and son and brother of two past presidents.

The property mogul, reality television star and beauty pageant owner with the most flamboyant comb-over in public life may seem like a caricature and a political joke. (Read more from “Republicans Cast Into Turmoil as Donald Trump Rides the Populist Surge” HERE)

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Ted Cruz: ‘I Salute Donald Trump’

By Newsmax. While several of his competitors run in the opposite direction, Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz says he won’t attack primary rival Donald Trump for his comments on Mexican immigrants. Quite the opposite, in fact.

“I salute Donald Trump for focusing on the need to address illegal immigration,” the Texas senator said on NBC’s Meet the Press in an interview that aired Sunday. “The Washington cartel doesn’t want to address that. The Washington cartel doesn’t believe we need to secure the borders. The Washington cartel supports amnesty and I think amnesty’s wrong, and I salute Donald Trump for focusing on it. He has a colorful way of speaking. It’s not the way I speak, but I’m not going to engage in the media’s game of throwing rocks and attacking other Republicans. I’m just not going to do it” . . .

“I’ve said very clearly that Donald Trump does not represent the Republican Party,” said Perry, a former Texas governor, in an interview that aired on ABC’s This Week on Sunday, according to a network transcript. “I was offended by his remarks.”

“I like Donald Trump,” Cruz said. “He’s bold he’s brash. And I get that it seems the favorite sport of the American media is to encourage some Republicans to attack other Republicans. I ain’t gonna do it. I’m not interested in Republican-on-Republican violence.” (Read more from this story HERE)

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Mitt Romney Joins Marco Rubio in Attacking Donald Trump Over Immigration Comments

By Matthew Boyle. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney attacked real estate mogul and 2016 GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump on Saturday, telling a CNN reporter he thinks Trump’s remarks on illegal immigrants were a “severe error.”

“Do you think Donald Trump’s comments on Mexicans have hurt the Republican Party?” a reporter asked Romney in video carried on CNN on Saturday.

“Yes, I think he made a severe error in saying what he did about Mexican-Americans,” Romney replied. “And it’s unfortunate” . . .

[Marco] Rubio slammed Trump, too.

“Trump’s comments are not just offensive and inaccurate, but also divisive,” Rubio said. “Our next president needs to be someone who brings Americans together – not someone who continues to divide. Our broken immigration system is something that needs to be solved, and comments like this move us further from – not closer to – a solution. We need leaders who offer serious solutions to secure our border and fix our broken immigration system.” (Read more from this story HERE)

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