This Republican primary is shaping up to be nearly as amusing as the last one!
On Monday, a poll showed Donald Trump -- once a pariah even among his fellow Republicans -- was suddenly more popular in the GOP. And now, a new poll shows him in first place in the GOP primary (albeit within the margin of error).
The Suffolk University poll shows Trump at 17 percent, Jeb Bush at 14 percent and Scott Walker at 8 percent.
And to hear Trump tell it, it's because "everybody" agrees with his comments about Mexico sending illegal immigrants who are criminals and rapists to the United States.
"The fact is that I’ve made a point, the point has now been accepted," Trump said Tuesday on Fox Business. "It was very hot a week ago, and now everybody’s saying 'Trump is right.'"
That's a pretty bold claim, but it's a little harder to argue against (at least in spirit) now that Trump has gained in the polls. At the very least, it would seem Trump's controversial and factually challenged immigration comments accrued to his benefit among Republicans.
Except that's not exactly true. Trump's comments do appear to have solidified support among a very niche group of GOP voters. But among Republicans more broadly: They are still a net-negative.
The very same Suffolk poll shows 24 percent of Republicans say the immigration comments make them more likely to vote for Trump. Another 34 percent say they make them less likely to support him, while 36 percent say it makes no difference.
Sliced one way, you can argue that six in 10 Republicans aren't bothered by his comments. Sliced another way, just 24 percent think more highly of him because of them.
Either way, Trump is relying heavily on that 24 percent. Of Trump's supporters, nearly two-thirds come from this small group of Republicans who say the immigration comments made them more likely to back him.
So that explains his Bump in the polls. Yes, there is a constituency for the things Trump said about immigration; but even in the GOP, it's not a big piece of the piece or even a plurality right now. And there's still little reason to believe he'll actually compete for the nomination.
As for his improving personal image, he seems to have improved his lot among Republicans in spite of the immigration comments
There are still six in 10 Republicans who, at the very least, don't have a problem with what he said. He has convinced most of them (42 percent) that he's an OK guy. But that's basically equal to the number of Republicans (40 percent) who still don't like him.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...-comments-actually-help/?tid=trending_strip_4
On Monday, a poll showed Donald Trump -- once a pariah even among his fellow Republicans -- was suddenly more popular in the GOP. And now, a new poll shows him in first place in the GOP primary (albeit within the margin of error).
The Suffolk University poll shows Trump at 17 percent, Jeb Bush at 14 percent and Scott Walker at 8 percent.
And to hear Trump tell it, it's because "everybody" agrees with his comments about Mexico sending illegal immigrants who are criminals and rapists to the United States.
"The fact is that I’ve made a point, the point has now been accepted," Trump said Tuesday on Fox Business. "It was very hot a week ago, and now everybody’s saying 'Trump is right.'"
That's a pretty bold claim, but it's a little harder to argue against (at least in spirit) now that Trump has gained in the polls. At the very least, it would seem Trump's controversial and factually challenged immigration comments accrued to his benefit among Republicans.
Except that's not exactly true. Trump's comments do appear to have solidified support among a very niche group of GOP voters. But among Republicans more broadly: They are still a net-negative.
The very same Suffolk poll shows 24 percent of Republicans say the immigration comments make them more likely to vote for Trump. Another 34 percent say they make them less likely to support him, while 36 percent say it makes no difference.
Sliced one way, you can argue that six in 10 Republicans aren't bothered by his comments. Sliced another way, just 24 percent think more highly of him because of them.
Either way, Trump is relying heavily on that 24 percent. Of Trump's supporters, nearly two-thirds come from this small group of Republicans who say the immigration comments made them more likely to back him.
So that explains his Bump in the polls. Yes, there is a constituency for the things Trump said about immigration; but even in the GOP, it's not a big piece of the piece or even a plurality right now. And there's still little reason to believe he'll actually compete for the nomination.
As for his improving personal image, he seems to have improved his lot among Republicans in spite of the immigration comments
There are still six in 10 Republicans who, at the very least, don't have a problem with what he said. He has convinced most of them (42 percent) that he's an OK guy. But that's basically equal to the number of Republicans (40 percent) who still don't like him.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...-comments-actually-help/?tid=trending_strip_4
