Washington Free Beacon reporter Elizabeth Harrington appeared Tuesday on Fox News to discuss the recent fall of Republican Donald Trump in the polls and his likely response going forward.
For the first time since Trump entered the GOP 2016 race in June, he is not in first place in a national poll, falling behind Ben Carson, and he has also fallen behind Carson in several polls in Iowa.
"I think this poll comes at a bad time for him, particularly, because the Super PAC that was supporting him just had to shut down because of allegations it was working too closely with his campaign," Harrington said. "While Carson has multiple Super PACs supporting him, Trump does not so he's on his own, and now we have Carson out with his first ad buy in Iowa painting himself as an outsider candidate.
"Trump really needs to combat that. He's getting defensive about these polls. He's attacking Carson in his remarks, but I think he will probably start to go negative with his first TV ad buy in Iowa."
Fox News host Neil Cavuto asked Harrington whether some of the more establishment Republican candidates and their donors might work to defeat Trump.
"Yes, I think they will start to rally around a candidate eventually with money and support, but I think we need to keep in mind that it's still incredibly early. This week in 2011 with the GOP primary, Herman Cain was still in the lead. Gingrich did not surge until November. Santorum had his moment in February ... It is a different race, but it is good to keep in mind these polls are fluid."
Asked about trailing Carson in Iowa on Tuesday, Trump said, "I don't get it."