Despite urgings from GOP establishment lions like Mitt Romney, a huge majority of likely Republican voters believe Donald Trump will win the party's presidential nomination, according to a new poll.

Rasmussen Reports said that a whopping 80 percent of GOP likely voters believe Trump will be the winner. And that surprising number includes 50 percent who said it is "very likely" Trump will win the nomination, a new high for the businessman-turned-politician.



And when all likely voters are included, 75 percent believe Trump will win.

The poll comes after Super Tuesday when Trump won the bulk of states, though only edged out Sen. Ted Cruz in the delegate count.

The poll has significance because it was taken after Super Tuesday and partially last night, after Romney on Thursday morning machine-gunned Trump's standing to run for president.

Also from the pollster:

Among all likely voters, a new high of 75% say Trump is likely to be the Republican nominee, with 45% who think it's Very Likely. Both these findings represent sizable gains from last week's previous highs of 70% and 37% respectively.

Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner's "Washington Secrets" columnist, can be contacted at pbedard@washingtonexaminer.com