New Yorker cover shows what Trump is doing to 2016 GOP field

July 27 cover of the New Yorker (credit: Barry Blitt)
July 27 cover of the New Yorker (credit: Barry Blitt)

The cover of this week’s New Yorker hits on exactly what Donald Trump is doing in the Republican presidential primary: making waves.

The New Yorker explains that the Barry Blitt-drawn cover — titled “Belly Flop” — is a reference to Trump’s brazen style and impact on the 2016 presidential field. “Donald Trump has entered the fray of Republican Presidential candidates with all the grace of a bully doing cannonballs and belly flops at the local swimming pool,” Blitt said, according to the New Yorker.

“Trump never fails to provide hours of slack-jawed amazement,” Blitt said.

Though few analysts believe that he actually has a shot at clinching the nomination, Trump’s entry into the field has shaken up the race over the past month.

Trump is leading the Republican field in several states and is highly likely to appear in the first Republican primary debate in early August.

Despite sparking outrage for calling some Mexican immigrants “rapists” and drug-runners, Trump is starting to climb higher in the polls and become more popular with Republican primary voters.

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As Politico points out, Trump’s populist, conservative message has potentially helped him siphon away supporters from more conservative candidates like Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas).

And in a race in which New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) has attempted to gain traction by promising to “tell it like it is,” Trump’s outspoken, provocative statements on hot issues from immigration to relations with China have dominated countless news cycles and gotten far more attention online.

Further, Trump isn’t shying away from a loud fight with his Republican rivals.

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida) have condemned Trump for his statements about immigrants.

This has only appeared to fuel Trump’s fire — the real-estate magnate has dismissed Bush’s entire candidacy and accused Rubio of shifting his position on immigration because of weak poll numbers.