Trump soars in opinion poll despite gaffes

American billionaire Donald Trump, the dominant Republican no one can stop talking about heading into the 2016 presidential election, is leaving his rivals far behind in the polls.

The provocative real estate magnate and political neophyte remains at the center of campaign firestorms, roiling the Republican establishment and leading the GOP pack as it gears up for the post-New-Year gallop to Iowa and the first voting in the nominations process on February 1.

Trump's campaign trail bombast -- including extraordinary comments, among them a vulgar attack on Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton that stunned many observers -- appears to have done him little if any harm in the polls as he solidifies the frontrunner status he has maintained since late July.

A new poll released Wednesday showed him with double the support of his nearest competitor.

The national CNN/ORC poll of Republican and Republican-leaning registered voters has Trump leading with 39 percent support -- more than twice that of Senator Ted Cruz on 18 percent, a two-point gain since the companies' last poll in November.

Senator Marco Rubio and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson have both slipped slightly and sit at 10 percent, while New Jersey Governor Chris Christie came in fifth at five percent. None of the other eight Republican candidates is above four percent.

Trump has issued a series of controversial -- some would say outrageous -- statements since launching his campaign June 16, beginning with his accusation that Mexico was sending "rapists" and other criminals into the United States.

The latest controversies over Trump talk involve his December 7 call to bar Muslims from entering the United States, and verbal attacks Monday on Clinton.