While Donald Trump’s comments on undocumented immigrants and surging poll numbers in his bid for the presidency have some in the Republican Party concerned, one congressman thinks Trump may actually be a phantom candidate planted by Democrats.
Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-Fla.) shared his theory with Spanish-language media last week, according to the Miami Herald. During one radio interview, Curbelo said Trump could be “a phantom candidate recruited by the left to create this entire political circus.”
In addition to sharing his suspicions on Twitter, the Herald reports that Curbelo pointed to Trump’s relationship with the Clintons as potential evidence during another radio show.
“I think there’s a small possibility that this gentleman is a phantom candidate,” said Curbelo, who is backing former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush in the Republican presidential primary race. “Mr. Trump has a close friendship with Bill and Hillary Clinton. They were at his last wedding. He has contributed to the Clintons’ foundation. He has contributed to Mrs. Clinton’s Senate campaigns. All of this is very suspicious.”
Curbelo, a freshman congressman who supports immigration reform, represents a district that has had phantom candidates run in elections before, according to the Herald.
The Florida Democratic Party fired back at Curbelo, calling his suggestion “bizarre.”
“The only thing more absurd than Donald Trump’s conspiracy theories is Congressman Carlos Curbelo’s theory that he is some secret Democratic plant,” spokesman Max Steele said.
Several companies have pulled out of business deals with Trump, who was once pro-choice and a registered Democrat, after he said during hisannouncement speech that undocumented immigrants are “rapists” and “bringing drugs” to the country. Meanwhile, Trump continues to rise in GOP primary poll numbers, topping a USA Today/Suffolk University poll released Tuesday. According to HuffPost Pollster, which combines recent opinion polls, Trump leads the Republican field with almost 18 percent of the vote.
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