With fresh evidence that billionaire Donald Trump continues to dominate the GOP presidential polls, the second and third-tier candidates are beginning to sharpen their messages -- and turn on one-another -- in a mad scramble to improve their standings before the early 2016 primary contests.
Seemingly unfazed by controversy around his outrageous comments on illegal Hispanic immigrants, women and even disabled people, Trump continues to gain Republican voters nationally with 27 percent, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll released on Wednesday. This is a slight three-point improvement over a previous showing last month and puts him well ahead of Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida who moved into second place with 17 percent pushing retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson into a tie with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz at 16 percent each.
Related: Did Donald Trump Just Reveal a Potentially Fatal Flaw?
Former Florida governor Jeb Bush continues to limp along with only 5 percent of likely Republican votes, while no other candidates – including former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, Ohio governor John Kasich or New Jersey Governor Chris Christie – top three percent of the vote.
“It doesn’t seem to matter what he says or who he offends, whether the facts are contested or the ‘political correctness’ is challenged, Donald Trump seems to be wearing Kevlar,” said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll.
At the same time, Carson, once viewed as Trump’s most formidable competition among a handful of political “outsiders” shaking up the political landscape this year, is beginning to fade. The low-key physician and author who overcame poverty growing up in Detroit is the victim of controversy over the details of his up-by-the-bootstraps life story and his woeful inexperience and knowledge of national security and foreign policy matters – especially in the wake of the terrorist attacks on Paris.
Carson made a brief trip to Jordan last weekend to inspect a Syrian refugee camp and brush up on foreign policy matters, in hopes of turning things around. But for now he is in a free fall after scoring 23 percent in last month’s Quinnipiac poll.
“Dr. Ben Carson, moving to center stage just one month ago, now needs some CPR,” Malloy said.
Related: Pushback Against Trump from Mainstream Media Grows
With Iowa’s first in the nation presidential caucuses looming early next year, the race is far from solidified. While 46 percent of Trump’s supporters say they have made up their minds, two thirds of all Republicans or those leaning Republican say they may change their minds. What’s more, the bombastic Trump, who recently mocked a respected New York Times reporter who has a congenital physical disability, tops the list when Republican voters are asked to say whom they “definitely” will not support.
Meanwhile, The Washington Post reports that the wrangling and infighting is fierce among the second and third tier GOP candidates, with Rubio and Cruz clawing their way ahead of Carson, and Christie desperately trying to convince voters in New Hampshire to give his candidacy a second look. Cruz is now in second place behind Trump in Iowa, according to recent polls, while Rubio is second to Trump in New Hampshire.
Related: Another Hole in a Trump Story Uncovered
Still dogged by the “Bridgegate” scandal and controversy over his handling of New Jersey’s budget and pension program, Christie has camped out in the Granite State and is presenting himself as a seasoned chief executive and former prosecutor who has far more experience in governance than Rubio and Cruz, the two 44-year old Senate freshmen. Christie also may have been helped by a recent endorsement from the New Hampshire Union-Leader newspaper.
Rubio has positioned himself as one of the Republicans’ most hawkish candidates on defense and national security, and has sharply criticized Cruz’s support for legislation ending the mass collection of telephone records by the national Security Agency, according to the Post. Cruz has returned fire, seeking to link Rubio to the foreign policy of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and portraying Rubio as a supporter of widespread amnesty for illegal immigrants.
Meanwhile, in the Democratic contest, Clinton leads Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders nationally, 60 percent to 30 percent, a seven-point improvement for Clinton since last month. In hypothetical general election matchups, Clinton would beat Trump, 47 percent to 41 percent. But Sanders would do even better, 49 percent to 41 percent.
