There's an irony to such party elders offering Trump as a preferable alternative to Cruz. I hate to sound like a broken record, but I doubt it. Seconds later, Cruz speaks positively of "allowing those who are here illegally to come out of the shadows", in a 2013 C-SPAN broadcast, and the phrase "PRO AMNESTY" ripples into view.

In addition to criticism from some conservative circles for some of his positions, the billionaire businessman has also faced resistance from the Republican establishment, which remains largely splintered between candidates like former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Florida Sen.

Donald Trump launched his first negative advertising campaign of his bid for the Republican presidential nomination on Friday, which shows Sen.

Beck is among almost two dozen conservative thinkers who penned anti-Trump essays for National Review magazine.

Actually, media heads that I know sound delighted by the boost that Palin and Trump, love 'em or hate 'em, give to the size of our audiences.

A lawsuit was filed in Texas earlier this month over whether Cruz can run for president.

"I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn't lose any voters", Trump said. The TV spot will air in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, Trump's campaign said. Trump fans have every right to say they'll stay home if their guy isn't nominee because, without him in charge, the GOP doesn't really represent their interests.

"The same thing thatis going to win this football game in the fourth quarter is the same thing that would've won it in the first quarter", said Steve Deace, a conservative radio host backing Cruz.

There's a parlor game going around among D.C. Republicans: If you had to choose, who would you pick to be the Republican nominee - Donald Trump or Ted Cruz?

"It wasn't the best week for Cruz, but I think he was able to turn the Branstad anti-endorsement at least partially to his advantage by presenting it as evidence that Ted Cruz is the candidate the establishment fears", said Mark P. Jones, political science professor at Rice University.

The poll was conducted by telephone with live interviewers from January 18 to 21 and featured a random national sample of 1,009 registered voters. "It's a big deal here, but I don't think it's gotten much publicity - but I think it will".

"And I wouldn't even complain because he was born in Canada", Trump said.