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2016 GOP presidential frontrunner Donald Trump has opened up a commanding 3-to-1 lead over his closest rival in early voting South Carolina. In fact he’s outpolling his nearest three competitors in the Palmetto State … combined. Just … wow. According to a poll from Florida-based Gravis Marketing (.pdf here), Trump is supported by 34 percent of “First in the South” GOP primary voters. That’s more than the combined support of the next three candidates in the poll – retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson (10.9 percent), former Florida governor Jeb Bush (10.5 percent) and Wisconsin governor Scott Walker (10.3 percent).

If you had to vote in your state primary/caucus today, knowing what you know now about the various declared and probable candidates, who would you vote for? Why? Who would you like to see as the running mate for your preferred candidate? If you could help staff your candidates cabinet and other top appointments, who would you choose? If you could recommend different congressional leaders than we have now, who would they be? And who would you like to see on the Supreme Court and why? And finally, feel free to donate to Free Republic.

The more that the American people get a chance to look at the nuclear deal with Iran, the less they like it. Prior to the announcement of a deal (and the details of its commitments), public opinion favored a deal while remaining skeptical that it would stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons. A week after the deal, a Pew poll showed a plurality opposed, 38/48; two weeks out, a CNN poll showed a majority opposed at 44/52.A new Quinnipiac poll shows a stronger majority opposed, but the worst aspect for the Obama administration is the collapse in support. Only...

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...

Looking forward to these results, especially the consensus vote. Fox News’ criteria for its first debate seems, unfortunately, to bias strongly toward name recognition rather than broad appeal, and I think that hurdle undermines the meaningful policy discussions that these early events should foster. Put another way: If a candidate could get consensus support but can’t get in the door of the debate, then is the debate really representative of the preferences of the Republican electorate? Thanks for participating. (POLL-AT-LINK)

<p>Billionaire Donald Trump is blowing away his nearest competitor, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, 2-to-1, in a poll of Iowa Republican voters released Friday by Gravis Marketing on behalf of One American News Network.</p> <p>New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and former New York Gov. George Pataki each have less than 1 percent of support from Iowa voters. The Republican voters' poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 6.5 percent.</p>

Donald Trump has something new to crow about. The latest numbers from the Reuters/Ipsos five-day tracking poll has boastful billionaire as the presidential choice of almost 30 percent of Republicans surveyed—a stratospheric mark given the fragmented presidential field. He’s hitting a new high with the first Republican debate just days away: Aug. 6, in Cleveland, Ohio, where coverage of Trump before, during, and after the contest is likely grow even more feverish given the new numbers. Trump’s current surge–he’s been gaining strength meteorically all week, according to the poll–has knocked his closest rival, Jeb Bush, back behind him by almost...

Donald Trump's poll numbers are good, political analyst Karl Rove conceded Thursday, but he urged viewers to put the numbers into "a little bit of perspective." "He has been in the race for six weeks,"..."He has had a good move up, a good bump up, but we've seen this before. "Look, there will be a lot of movement in this race. It is really still early." And even though Trump is topping the polls as far as Republicans who would support him, his favorability ratings are suffering, Rove said. -snip- However, pointed out Rove, "30 percent of the Republicans say...

As the first Republican debate for the primary season is quickly approaching, Rasmussen Reports says that businessman Donald Trump, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush are guaranteed seats on the A-stage on Aug. 6. Rasmussen's first national survey of likely Republican voters shows that Trump is ahead with 26 percent support, while Walker is in second with 14 percent and Bush has 10 percent of the vote — making them the top three leaders. While there are 13 remaining major Republican candidates, Fox News is only opening the Aug. 6 debate to the top 10 as...

With 20 percent of Republican voters, Donald Trump is the clear leader in the crowded Republican presidential primary field, but he trails any of three leading Democratic contenders by wide margins in general election matchups, according to a Quinnipiac University National poll released today. Trump's 20 percent is the largest tally for a Republican contender in any national poll by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University. Behind Trump are Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker with 13 percent and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush with 10 percent. No other Republican tops 6 percent and 12 percent are undecided. Trump also tops the "no...

Billionaire Donald Trump has taken a commanding lead in the race for the 2016 U.S. Republican presidential nomination with the support of 25 percent in a Reuters/Ipsos poll, giving him a double-digit advantage over nearest rival Jeb Bush. The poll shows Bush, the former Florida governor, trailing at 12 percent. It is a huge jump for Trump, who announced his candidacy for the November 2016 election six weeks ago - and this despite the criticism political rivals leveled at him for remarks this month belittling the military service of Senator John McCain, the party's candidate in 2008. -snip- Trump, a...

Real-estate magnate Donald Trump has vowed for weeks that if he wins the Republican presidential nomination, he would win the Latino vote in the general election. On Wednesday morning, he touted a poll he said confirmed his predictions. "Public Policy Polling (PPP) has just come out with a major poll putting me #1 with Hispanics - leading all Republican candidates," Trump tweeted. "Told you so." However, the polling company responded on Twitter by noting the survey Trump highlighted also found him widely trailing among Hispanic voters in the general election: _________________________________________________ PublicPolicyPolling ‎@ppppolls Trump trails 61 to 28 with Hispanics...

For the first time this year, Donald Trump tops a state poll of GOP presidential candidates in Florida. A St. Pete Polls survey released on Wednesday shows the New York businessman with 26 percent support, with Jeb Bush in second place with 20 percent. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is in third place with 12 percent, and Marco Rubio is in fourth place with 10 percent. He’s followed by Dr. Ben Carson at 5 percent, Ted Cruz and John Kasich at 4 percent, and Rand Paul at 3 percent. 16 percent are unsure or are supporting another candidate not named in...

Tweet from Ann Coulter: @AnnCoulter: .DonaldTrump leads w/ Hispanics. Christie, who supported in-state tuition 4 illegals -scrape bottom.

When Donald Trump soared to the top of national polls earlier this month, Republicans had one hope — at least he wasn't yet leading in any early states! He is now. The past two polls of the New Hampshire GOP primary have both shown Trump in first place, and not by small margins. NBC/Marist shows him leading Jeb Bush by 7 points, and Monmouth University shows him up by 12.

The only female GOP presidential candidate, Carly Fiorina, former Hewlett Packard CEO, is ranking in the top ten among the GOP presidential candidates in two national polls. Fiorina has often been critical of the female Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton and has said she wants the opportunity to debate Clinton. Public Policy Polling released a new national poll last week, which has Fiorina tied for sixth place with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX)96% and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY)93% . The PPP listed the GOP candidates in the following ranking: Donald Trump with 19% Scott Walker with 17% Jeb Bush with 12% Dr....

Call it failure to launch for Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) 80%as, despite a minor bump in the polls a month or so after his April presidential campaign launch, the 44-year-old junior senator from Florida is now officially relegated to the middle of the pack—where he’s been unable to climb out. Virtually every major pollster has shown Rubio’s chances at being a serious contender for the GOP nomination slipping away... Rubio was supposed to be the golden boy who could woo the donor class but still excite the grassroots. He’s succeeded in winning over lots of big-money backing, with billionaire donors...

Riding a wave of non-stop publicity, a new poll this past week shows mogul Donald Trump solidly in first place among likely Republican primary and caucus voters nationwide. The new Zogby Analytics poll of 256 likely voters was conducted online July 22-23 shows Mr. Trump leading with the support of 20% of those polled. He is followed by former Florida Governor Jeb Bush with 16%, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker 12%, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul 9%, neurosurgeon and author Dr. Ben Carson 7%, Florida Senator Marco Rubio and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee 6% each, Texas Senator Ted Cruz 5%, New...

Trump is on the move, no doubt about it. So what's your take on the man? If you're in the mood, answer the question posed in post #1, along with your reasoning.

If the 2016 Republican presidential primary in New Hampshire were held today, whom would you support if the candidates are (including those who are undecided yet leaning toward a candidate): Donald Trump 21 Jeb Bush 14 Scott Walker 12 John Kasich 7 Chris Christie 6 Ben Carson 6 Marco Rubio 5 Ted Cruz 5 Rand Paul 4 Mike Huckabee 3 Carly Fiorina 2 George Pataki 2