Trump reaching new heights in White House race

Nine Republicans will be featured on the main stage in the fifth GOP presidential debate here Tuesday night, but a swiftly shrinking race means that special attention is nearly guaranteed to focus on three candidates on the ascent. Do other candidates openly bash Trump or take a more careful approach as Cruz has done.

Apart from his battle with Trump, a fierce showdown is brewing for Cruz with his fellow young Cuban-American senator. Although Carson has been losing support rapidly to Cruz, he would win 47 percent of the vote, compared to Clinton’s 46 percent, according to the poll. “Because we’re all cheering him (on against other senators)”, Levin said Monday evening.

But crucially polling also shows that in Iowa, Cruz is either in a dead heat with Trump or leading him.

But while the Post/ABC poll reveals robust support for Trump and his ideas among Republicans, there are warning signs for the GOP front-runner as well – particularly when it comes to the general election. They want competence. They want smarts. An Iowa Trump supporter who’s a bit nervous about Trump can caucus for Cruz and feel like she made a responsible, even conciliatory, choice. Trump has gained 6 points and Rubio has gained 1 point since mid-November. “I think we need to be the national security party, the party of strong national security, committed to ensuring we have the strongest military force in the world”.

But Ted Cruz leads in Iowa, among evangelicals, and among the most conservative voters.

But Cruz, while eager to draw a distinction between himself and Trump, may be careful not to antagonize him, according to experts. The Republican establishment lined up early behind former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, but influential donors including NY hedge fund manager Paul Singer have been gravitating to Rubio as the son and brother of former presidents has faltered.

Donald trump is the frontrunner right now.

Cruz suddenly finds himself in the top tier of the Republican presidential race – and in the crosshairs of his rivals.

Which Donald Trump will show up? “This is about the long term health of the Republican party and conservatism, and Trump is the only existential threat to either”. But Republicans are soon going to realize that their real choice isn’t between Bushism and Cruzism, but between Cruzism and Trumpism.

So far, debate performances have had limited impact on the candidates. Since the last time Monmouth University polled voters nationwide, Trump has increased his support by 13 percent.

An undercard debate featuring four lower-polling candidates – Lindsey Graham, Mike Huckabee, George Pataki and Rick Santorum – will unfold before the main event, from 2300 GMT Tuesday. “He’s the most viable for them”, Seth McKee, associate professor of political science at Texas Tech University, told AFP. That combative posture has not, however, come easily for Bush, retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, or Ohio Governor John Kasich, who said in an interview with Face the Nation on Sunday that “polarization and divisions is going to lead us down the wrong path”.

As Christie has risen in New Hampshire, Trump has sought to bring up Bridgegate, claiming that Christie “totally knew” about the improper lane closures. It has all the makings of a right-wing food fight where all the radio nut jobs out-bluster each other, choose sides, and tear down a tea party darling in the process (whether it’s Trump or Cruz). Yum! Hours later, at the Las Vegas pre-debate rally, Trump barely mentioned Cruz, let alone said a negative word about him. “But I’m the only one running that’s ever scored a victory against Obamacare”.