>> a >> reporter: and bashing the media. >> i've learned how smart the people are and how bad and dishonest the press is. >> trump's gop rivals going after the billionaire businessman who for the first time has topped 40% in a monmouth university poll of likely gop voters. that is more than the next three competitors combined. and trump towering 23 points above his closest rival in this new washington post abc poll. >> i cannot imagine donald trump becoming president because he would never win. he would never win. hillary clinton would clean him. >> this as texas senator ted cruz surges into the second place in polling and tops trump in several polls in iowa. >> god bless the great state of iowa. >> reporter: which means all eyes will be on center stage to see if the two former ally wills go after each other. >> they are both strong and very decisive and someone who would