Trump surges ahead after vowing to ‘shutdown Muslims’

They’re struggling to come to terms with the controversy within the Republican presidential campaign – all for good reason. Republican governors and lawmakers as well as some Democrats want to deny Syrian refugees entry into the country.

A petition to ban the U.S. billionaire from the UK was created after he called for a temporary halt on Muslims entering the United States.

But now that the Texas Republican’s comments at a private fundraiser have leaked, Trump is signaling he’s ready to throw down.

Additionally, Cruz’s campaign is among the best financed, second only to the campaign of Jeb Bush, which hasn’t seen much return on its investment so far. The senator, who appeals to evangelical voters and Americans frustrated with government that have flocked to Trump and Carson in droves this cycle, has made a conscious effort to avoid going negative against the primary leaders – even appearing with Trump at a Capitol Hill rally on the Iran nuclear deal.

“Both of them I like and respect”, Cruz said of Trump and Ben Carson, one of two other political neophytes in the race., according to the New York Times.

The public is jumpy, with more than four in ten saying another attack is very likely to happen in the next few months.

Obama and his PR guy are even more partisan.

The GOP’s early voting contests, which begin with the Iowa caucuses in less than eight weeks, tend to feature the party’s most passionate voters, who have been excited about Trump’s candidacy. The poll was conducted before and after Trump released his proposal, but the question about the ban was conducted entirely after Trump revealed his plan. Polling in Iowa shows Trump and Cruz locked in a close battle.

Thirty-eight percent of Republican voters give him an unfavorable rating. In a CBS/New York Times poll, 35% support the media mogul nationally with 16% favoring Cruz. He also leads in a new WBUR survey of New Hampshire GOP voters with 27 percent to 12 percent for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

During the question and answer portion of the event, a man asked Trump if he won the nomination, would he consider Cruz as a Vice President or nominate him for the Supreme Court.

“Donald Trump is exactly what this country needs”, Stepp said.