Donald Trump Approaches 50 Percent in CNN Poll
Donald Trump is now registering a campaign-high 49 percent of support from all Republican voters, giving him triple the support of closest challenger Marco Rubio.
With just hours remaining before the start Super Tuesday on March 1, a new CNN/ORC International poll released on Monday finds Trump 33 points ahead of the Florida senator at 16 percent. Rubio leads Texas Sen. Ted Cruz for second by just 1 point, while retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson has 10 percent and Ohio Gov. John Kasich checks in at 6 percent.
Trump's Rise Over Several Months
Trump's impressive totals represent an 8 percent increase over the last time the poll was taken in January and more than double the 24 percent support he was registering just five months ago. Eight in 10 Trump supporters say they are enthusiastic about voting, while only 39 percent of non-Trump supporters describe themselves as more enthusiastic about casting a ballot this year than in years past.
The poll also finds 78 percent of Trump supporters insist there is little chance they will turn to another candidate. By comparison, only 57 percent of voters backing other GOP candidates say they are totally committed to their preferred candidate.
In addition, the Real Clear Politics national polling average has Trump 13 points ahead of Cruz and 16.5 points ahead of Rubio.
Trump Gets Key Endorsement
Trump recently further secured the GOP nomination by landing an endorsement from Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions. He joins a growing list of well-known party heavyweights who have publicly thrown their support behind the bombastic real estate mogul. Govs. Chris Christie of New Jersey and Paul LePage of Maine both recently announced their support for Trump, as has former Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer.
Sessions has long called for restrictions on both legal and unauthorized immigration, and, as the chair of the Immigration Subcommittee, has recently focused on limiting work visa programs for legal immigrants.
Meanwhile, Trump has proposed immigrations policies that include deportations of all unauthorized immigrants and the construction of a massive wall along the Mexican border. If elected president, Trump has also vowed to deport up to 11 million immigrants in 18 months. Sessions is rumored to have served as an adviser to Trump on the issue of immigration over the course of his campaign.
"Politicians have promised for 30 years to fix illegal immigration," Sessions recently told a gathering of Trump supporters. "Have they done it? Donald Trump will do it. I've told Donald Trump this isn't a campaign, this is a movement."
In the days leading up to Alabama's Super Tuesday primary, both Trump and Cruz had vigorously fought to secure the support of the strident Sessions.