Donald Trumps braggadocio has not regressed his early campaign as many in the media and conservative elites opined after his attack on John McCain's military record. In fact, he's building on his caustic style right before the first Fox News/GOP debate takes place on Thursday, August 6th.
Days before the first Republican debate, Donald Trump has surged into the national lead in the GOP primary race, with Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush following, a new NBC News/ Wall Street Journal poll shows.
Trump is the first choice of 19 percent of GOP primary voters, while 15 percent back Walker and 14 percent back Bush. Ten percent support retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson.
All other Republican candidates earn single digit backing. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is favored by nine percent of primary voters; former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul are tied with six percent support; Florida Sen. Marco Rubio clocks in at five percent; and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Ohio Gov. John Kasich are tied with three percent apiece. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum each have one percent support, and four candidates - former HP head Carly Fiorina, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, former New York Gov. George Pataki and former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore - register less than one percent support.
- Donald Trump - 19%
- Scott Walker - 15%
- Jeb Bush - 14%
- Ben Carson - 10%
- Ted Cruz - 9%
- Mike Huckabee - 6%
- Rand Paul - 6%
- Marco Rubio - 5%
- Chris Christie - 3%
- Rick Perry - 3%
- John Kasich - 3%
- Bobby Jindal - 1%
- Rick Santorum - 1%
- Carly Fiorina - *
- Lindsey Graham - *
- George Pataki - *
- Jim Gilmore - *
Jeb Bush is the second choice of 16 percent of respondents, with Carson, Trump, and Rubio all winning the second choice spot from 11 percent of voters.
