Polls: Trump with large leads in Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi

Despite overwhelming attacks by the GOP establishment over the past week via their proxies in the media, Donald Trump's leads in upcoming primary races remain dominant, according to the latest polling data. A FOX 2 Detroit/Mitchell poll from Michigan has Trump at 39% with a 20% lead over his nearest rival. Marco Rubio is in second at 19%, Ted Cruz sits at 14%, and John Kasich is at 12%. Trump's support is strongest with youth. Almost half (45%) of 18- to 39-year-olds said they would vote for Trump, compared to 21% for Rubio, 18% for Cruz, and 8% for Kasich.

An EPIC-MRA poll in Michigan this week also shows Trump in first place at 29% support, followed by Cruz at 19%, Rubio at 18%, and Kasich at 8%. In Louisiana, a Trafalgar Group poll puts Trump at 44%, Cruz at 26%, Rubio at 15%, and Kasich at 5%. Trump leads in all self-identified political sub-groups, including "conservative Republicans" (41% vs. Cruz next at 31%), "moderate Republicans" (43% vs. Rubio in second at 25%), "Tea Party Republicans" (55% vs. Cruz next at 31%), "libertarians" (35% vs. Cruz in second at 31%), and "independents" (58% vs. Kasich next at 18%). A separate Magellan Strategies poll from the same state places Trump at 41%, Cruz at 21%, Rubio at 15%, and Kasich at 9%. Another Magellan Strategies poll, this time from Mississippi, puts Trump (41%) in a 24% lead over Cruz (17%), with Rubio at 16% and Kasich at 8%. The detailing polling data out of Mississippi highlights the fundamental problem for Cruz and Rubio throughout most of the nation, and why the blistering attacks on Trump by GOP politicians appear to be only hardening and expanding his base of support. In Mississippi, only 15% of GOP primary voters approve of the job that Republicans – such as Cruz, Rubio, and others in the GOP establishment – are doing in Congress, while 65% disapprove.