Trump’s rise continues at a cost to many GOP candidates

Trumps poll numbers have ceased to amaze his supporters and dumbfound those that would prefer he go away.

Donald Trump didn’t just see a bump in the polls after his announcement. The Donald’s rise to the top of the GOP candidate poll numbers has been meteoric and has come at the cost to many favorites in the nomination race.

Analyzing Real Clear Politics average of political polls, Trump seems to be pulling support from Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, Mike Huckabee, Rand Paul, Ben Carson, Rick Perry and Lindsay Graham.

Jeb Bush’s numbers have suffered the most which has allowed Gov. Scott Walker to move within a point of the former front-runner while the rest of the pack seems stuck in the single-digits or worse.

The poll averages show that Trump has weathered his immigrant comments with no visible loss of support while those who were the most noticeably critical of him have seen their numbers drop.

Sen. Lindsay Graham has seen his abysmal last place 3 point number turn into an almost invisible .2% support after having a battle of words with Trump which ended with Graham releasing a video where he destroys his cell phone several times.

Ted Cruz took a different approach with Trump. Cruz chose to cozy up to the billionaire candidate and it appears to be working. Cruz has gained a full point over the past few weeks.

With the first republican primary debate coming next Thursday, Trump, Bush and Walker seem to have cemented their positions on the main stage. The remainder of the candidates in the middle of the pack are close and changing position daily.

Rick Santorum, Carly Fiorina, Lindsay Graham and Bobby Jindal are most-likely destined for the pre-debate “forum.”