Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump tells a crowd about new polling numbers in his favor during a rally Thursday, Jan. 21, 2016, at South Point.
Published Thursday, Jan. 21, 2016 | 2:34 p.m.
Updated Thursday, Jan. 21, 2016 | 9 p.m.
Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump attacked his GOP opponents in a speech Thursday at the South Point that touched on immigration, national security and international relations.
Speaking to a packed ballroom, Trump spent a significant part of his speech taking jabs at Sen. Ted Cruz, who is second in national polls and has tried to woo Trump’s supporters. He criticized the Texas senator for “trying to paint me as part of the establishment.”
“Ted is starting to go down,” Trump said. “Ted is getting very, very nervous.”
Despite the fact Jeb Bush is lagging in national polls, Trump continued to go after the former Florida governor.
“He’s a lost soul,” Trump said. “What are you doing, Jeb?”
Trump also continued to jab at the media, which he called “dishonest.”
At several points, protesters attempted to interrupt Trump, including a woman who tried to get her face on camera. “That young woman doesn’t know. She’s lost,” Trump said.
After the interruption, he invited two Metro Police officers on stage to thank them for their service and shake their hands.
“Get up here; get up here,” Trump said to the officers. “These are the greatest people. These are amazing, great people.”
Trump peppered his speech with recent poll numbers from various states, all of which had him at a significant lead over his opponents. But he also warned the crowd, “Don’t take it for granted.”
Trump also got his first endorsement from a Nevada politician. State Assemblyman Brent Jones announced his support at the rally.
“You see, there’s many people that are getting excited about Mr. Trump,” Jones said. “This is the establishment’s nightmare.”
Nevada Libertarian Wayne Allyn Root introduced Trump, as he did at a December rally in Las Vegas. State Republican Party Chairman Michael McDonald led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Thursday evening, Trump made a brief appearance at the Outdoor Sportsman Awards show at the Venetian, where he promised the crowd that he would protect their rights to the outdoors.
“They’re trying to take away so many rights,” Trump said. “We’re going to protect the people in this room and what they love. You know what you love.”
Trump said his sons are avid outdoorsmen who enjoy hunting and fishing. At the awards show, Donald Trump Jr. said that, under a Trump presidency, he and his brother would have their father’s ear.
“We’re going to keep public lands public, keep them open,” Donald Trump Jr. said. “We’re not going to sell them to the states so they can be privatized.”
At a news conference before the outdoor-industry award show, Trump criticized current oversight of federal lands. “If you look at the federal lands right now, it’s an absolute mess,” Trump said. “The lands are an absolute mess.”
In his speech, Trump again vowed to protect the Second Amendment, to the cheers of the crowd.
“The Second Amendment is 100 percent protected,” Trump said.
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