In the presidential campaign that's already fully underway, Donald Trump's incendiary comments on immigrants have other Republicans running away. Wednesday, he got a visit in Manhattan from one GOP hopeful who perhaps is looking to share some of the luster that, according to a new poll, has Republicans now picking Trump as their top candidate.  NY1's Josh Robin filed this report.

Texas Senator Ted Cruz may be the only GOP hopeful wanting to be seen by Trump Tower. 

"I enjoy Donald. He is one of a kind," Cruz said.

Many agree. The controversy is whether Donald Trump is one of a kind—good, or bad—particularly after Trump said this on immigration during his campaign kickoff. 

"Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best...They're bringing drugs, they're bringing crime, they're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people," he said.

It has Republicans fearing a backlash among Latino voters.

Cruz is also a hardliner on undocumented immigration. He seems to want to tap into anger, but with a softer edge.

"Donald speaks in colorful language. He doesn't speak the way I speak. But I appreciate the highlighting of illegal immigration," Cruz said.

Trump didn't want to talk about the private meeting. Asked about the backlash to his comments, he said: "So many people have apologized, and they've really apologized big league. They took statements that I made and they took those statements, and you understand it—they didn't read the whole statement. I have great relationships with the Hispanics. I've employed hundreds of them—thousands of them." 

Trump's surge in the polls give Democrats a real advantage. They can now link other Republicans with him.

 "I have just one word for Mr. Trump. Basta! Enough!" said Democratic Candidate Hillary Clinton.

Cruz's father emigrated from Cuba—legally—he says. 

"Our girls drive to school every day. The idea of 15,000 people with drunk driving convictions being released onto the strees who are here illegally. That doesn't make sense - and men and women across the country are fed up with that," Cruz said.

Since it's not everyday the Texas senator is in the city, we couldn't resist a few local questions, and what's more local than the debate over mayor de Blasio's push to ban Central Park horse drawn carriages?

"Anytime I'm here in the city with my wife and little girls—they think the horse drawn carriages are very cool," he said.

It's seen as unlikely that will change de Blasio's mind.