Leading Republican presidential aspirant Donald Trump now maintains a strong 20 point lead over his nearest rival Senator Ted Cruz in the grand old party, according to a latest national opinion poll today.
Surprising many political pundits, New York-based real estate Moghul Trump, according to a CNN/ORC poll released today, is now supported by 36 per cent of the registered Republicans and Republican leaning independents.
Senator Ted Cruz stands a distant second with 16 per cent of the votes, followed by former neurosurgeon Ben Carson (14 per cent) and Marco Rubio (12 per cent).
Jeb Bush, the former Florida Governor and once highly rated, has dropped to less than five per cent and has support of now just three per cent of those who participated in the poll.
"Poll just came out, amazing numbers for those who want to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!," Trump tweeted soon after the latestpoll results were out.
"Trump maintained leads in other polls as well. Eleven months before the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump is the undisputed leader in the Republican field, as Dr Ben Carson, in a virtual tie with Trump four weeks ago, drops to third place," Quinnipiac University National poll said while releasing its latest poll numbers.
Trump gets 27 per cent of Republican voters, with 17 per cent for Rubio, 16 per cent each for Carson and Cruz of Texas and five per cent for Bush.
Last month, Trump had 24 per cent, with 23 per cent for Carson.
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Trump said the January employment report shows that the private sector added 237,000 jobs last month.
"A lot of that has to do with the spirit our country now has. Job growth far surpassed expectations in January, and the labour force participation also grew, so you can be encouraged about the progress of our economy. It's going to be a whole new ball game," he said.
"But there is still much work to do. That I can tell you," Trump said.
Trump said this week on the first day of Black History Month, he was pleased to host African American leaders at the White House.
"We are determined to deliver more opportunity, jobs and safety for the African-American citizens of our country. America can really never, ever rest until children of every colour are fully included in the American Dream-so important. I think, probably, one of my most and maybe my most important goal. It is our mutual duty and obligation to make sure this happens," Trump said.
