GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump celebrated primary wins in Michigan and Mississippi Tuesday night by promising to vanquish his remaining Republican opponents before defeating Democrat Hillary Clinton in the general election.
"I think what this shows really more than anything else is that advertising is not as important. It really isn't as important as competence," Trump said, noting the money spent on attack ads against him in recent weeks.
He then turned to his three remaining opponets, down from a field of 17.
"Of the four they are pretty much all gone," Trump said. "They didn't do so well tonight, folks. … Only one person who did well tonight: Donald Trump," he said.
Evangelicals are backing him, he said, because they see Christianity is being chipped away at.
"I will tell you, with the evangelicals, they get it they get it. They get me. They understand me," he said. "I will be the best thing that ever happened to them. I mean that 100 percent. And they don't like the way Ted [Cruz] talks and they don't like the fact that he truly does lie."
Politicians are "serious liars," he said, and, "More importantly they will never get you to the Promised Land, never."
Calling himself a "unifier," he said he will bring on board the establishment Republicans now funding attack ads against him.
He also pointed to the independents and first-time voters who are supporting him, who he is bringing into the party.
Trump said he is not yet focusing on Clinton because he wants to close on the nomination first.
"Does Trump know how to close?" he asked a member of the audience comparing the race to winning club golf championships. "Believe it or not, it's not so different. Winning is winning."
Trump predicted a win next week in Florida, which he called his "second home." Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is trailing Trump in the polls in his home state.
Cruz, who is doing best is against Trump, will have hard time in the upcoming contests, Trump said. Trump said he is "going to do great" in his home state of New York and neighboring New Jersey.
Trump said he could probably get along with Sen. Lindsey Graham and 2012 nominee Mitt Romney, who has launched attacks against him in recent days.
Trump had bottles of his Trump water and wine as well as his steaks on the stage to battle Romney's claims last week they were among failed business ventures.
Romney and Graham are probably nice guys, he said, and he said not to worry about criticism he isn't presidential.
"If I wanted to be, I can be more presidential than anybody," he said, with the exception of "the great Abraham Lincoln."
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