THE BOYS' BRIGADE

Heh, those McCain comments only boosted Trump's

This is a NBC, via Memeorandum, "NBC/Marist Polls Show Donald Trump Running Strong in Iowa, NH."

And at WSJ, "Donald Trump Tops GOP Field in New Hampshire, Second in Iowa: Poll":

NBC-Marist poll of NH: Trump 21%, Bush 14%, Walker 12%, Kasich 7%

— Mark Murray (@mmurraypolitics) July 26, 2015

NBC-Marist poll of Iowa: Walker 19%, Trump 17%, Bush 12%, Carson 8%, Huck 7%

— Mark Murray (@mmurraypolitics) July 26, 2015

Donald Trump isn’t just the leading Republican candidate in the national polls – a barometer of name recognition – he is now looking strong in the early presidential nominating states where voters are paying attention.

An NBC News/Marist poll released Sunday found the New York developer in first place among New Hampshire GOP primary voters and two percentage points behind Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker in Iowa.

Mr. Trump carries 21% of the New Hampshire GOP primary electorate, a decisive lead over second-place Jeb Bush, who had 14%, the poll found. In Iowa, Mr. Trump is at 17%, with Mr. Walker at 19%.

The poll found a strong early showing in New Hampshire for Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who at 7% is in fourth place among GOP voters there. Mr. Kasich, who formally launched his presidential campaign Monday, has just 2% support in Iowa, good for 11th place among the 17 Republican candidates tested.

Until now, Mr. Trump had been in the lead of national polling but Mr. Walker and Mr. Bush led opinion surveys in Iowa and New Hampshire, home to the nation’s first two presidential nominating contests.

Mr. Trump campaigned Saturday in Oskaloosa, Iowa, where he attacked the Wisconsin governor for the first time. Mr. Trump said “the gloves are off” after a fundraiser for Mr. Walker called Mr. Trump “DumbDumb” in an invitation to an event later this week.

Mr. Trump’s polling rise comes as he seems to have weathered the initial public storm over his belittling of Sen. John McCain’s war record. The NBC/Marist poll was conducted before and after Mr. Trump said Mr. McCain “is not a war hero.” Mr. Trump’s standing in Iowa increased after he made the incendiary remark, though he lost ground in New Hampshire, according to the poll.

Perhaps working in Mr. Trump’s favor is that twice as many Republican voters in both Iowa and New Hampshire said they’d prefer a GOP nominee who shares their positions on issues over one who has the best chance of retaking the White House for the party...

Still more, and at Memeorandum.

Trump's unfavorables are high but he's really connecting on the issues with base Republicans in the early states. The GOP establishment is seething with anger at Trump, which is the second stage in the five stages of grief.