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Jeb Bush, fellow GOP candidates rush to distance themselves from Donald Trump

Opposition to his remarks describing illegal immigrants as 'rapists' and 'killers' is mounting within his own party, but Donald Trump鈥檚 candidacy remains 'viable.'

The crowded and ideologically diverse field of Republican presidential candidates has found one thing they mostly agree on: Donald Trump does not speak for the majority of Republicans.

Candidate after candidate used appearances on Sunday talk shows to denounce Mr. Trump and distance themselves from him after the billionaire real estate mogul criticized Mexicans and immigrants who come to the US illegally as 鈥渞apists鈥� and 鈥渒illers.鈥�

鈥淭hey鈥檙e bringing drugs,鈥� Trump said while announcing his presidential bid last month. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e bringing crime. They鈥檙e rapists.鈥�

Former New York Gov. George Pataki was the first GOP candidate to denounce Trump, first in a tweet and later in a press release, describing the remarks as 鈥�.鈥�

Mr. Pataki also launched 聽on his campaign website 鈥� called 鈥淪tand Up to Trump鈥� 鈥� asking petitioners to denounce the business mogul's remarks.

GOP presidential candidate Jeb Bush, a former Florida governor who has a Mexican wife, told the Associate Press he is personally offended by Trump鈥檚 remarks.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think he represents the Republican Party, and his views are way out of the mainstream of what Republicans think,鈥� he told reporters after marching in Fourth of July parades in New Hampshire.

And other Republican candidates are now following suit.

US Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida called the comments 鈥渘ot just offensive and inaccurate, but also divisive," in released last Friday.

鈥淥ur next president needs to be someone who brings Americans together,鈥� wrote Senator Rubio. 鈥淥ur broken immigration system is something that needs to be solved, and comments like this move us further from 鈥� not closer to 鈥� a solution.鈥�

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said on CNN鈥檚 鈥淪tate of the Union鈥� 聽that, while some immigrants may have 鈥渘efarious goals,鈥� most of them come to the country for the opportunity to be Americans.

鈥淚鈥檓 for reasonable approaches to immigration,鈥� said Mr. Huckabee. 鈥淚 say some things very differently. I say every night, I get on my knees and thank God I鈥檓 in a country people are trying to break into, rather than one they鈥檙e trying to break out of.鈥�

Rick Santorum, a former Pennsylvania senator and presidential candidate, on CBS鈥� 鈥淔ace of the Nation鈥澛爐hat he disagreed with Trump鈥檚 鈥渧erbiage.鈥�

鈥淲hile I don鈥檛 like the verbiage he鈥檚 used, I like the fact that he is focused on a very important issue for American workers and particularly, legal immigrants in this country,鈥� said Mr. Santorum. 鈥淚 think Donald points to a very important thing,鈥� he added, 鈥渨hich is we have a serious problem of illegal immigration in this country that is undermining American workers: by flattening out wages and lowering the standard of living for those in the US legally.鈥�

Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, ABC鈥檚 鈥淭his Week,鈥澛爏aid that Trump 鈥渄oes not represent the Republican Party鈥� and doesn鈥檛 understand southern border issues.

Some candidates have come out in support of Trump, however, including Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas.

Sen. Cruz appeared on NBC鈥檚 鈥淢eet the Press鈥� in that aired on Sunday, saying: 鈥淚 salute Donald Trump for focusing on the need to address illegal immigration.鈥�

鈥淭he Washington cartel doesn鈥檛 want to address that. The Washington cartel doesn鈥檛 believe we need to secure our borders,鈥� he added. 鈥淭he Washington cartel supports amnesty and I think amnesty鈥檚 wrong, and I salute Donald Trump for focusing on it. He has a colorful way of speaking. It鈥檚 not the way I speak, but I鈥檓 not going to engage in the media鈥檚 game of throwing rocks and attacking other Republicans. I鈥檓 just not going to do it.鈥�

Businesses have already fled from Trump after his comments, including NBC Universal, Univision, and Macy鈥檚. Political strategists believe he is turning into a political liability, however, Trump continues to do surprisingly well in polls.

Harry Wilson, a professor of public affairs and director of the Institute for Policy and Opinion Research at Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia, told the Monitor last week聽that in an overflowing Republican field (there are now almost 20 candidates) Trump鈥檚 name recognition is helping him stand out.

鈥淎mericans are, quite understandably, not fixated on the 2016 Presidential election yet. So, the name currently in the news will garner support in the short run,鈥� said Professor Wilson. 鈥淒onald Trump has strong name recognition and the ability to self-finance his campaign indefinitely. Those qualities makes him viable."