The GOP is having a hard enough time as it is. The last thing they need is an opportunistic also-ran like Donald Trump distracting voters.

Donald Trump threw down the gauntlet of red meat when he announced his candidacy by offending all of Mexico and all the Mexican immigrants that the GOP is already so desperate to win over to their side of the aisle.

“When Mexico sends its people they aren’t sending their best,” Trump said when he announced his candidacy. “They are bringing drugs, they’re bringing crime, they are rapists and some are good people but I speak to border guards and they tell us what we’re getting.”

There's a real VICIOUSNESS about the Republican party. Example: after Trump's nasty, racist remarks about Mexicans, he goes UP in GOP polls.

— AverageChirps (@AverageChirps) July 4, 2015

These comments, and others that double down on them, may get Donald Trump loads of press, but they have lost him his deals with NBC and other media outlets for his Miss USA and Miss Universe business

Now the GOP itself is heaving sighs of frustration over Trump’s statements.

“Donald Trump’s comments are hurtful for the cause of Republicans who want to reach out not just to Latinos but across many different ethnic barriers,” said Ben Domenech, who specializes in GOP strategy for landing Hispanic voters. “The problem with those comments is made worse by the fact that people will continue to confuse Trump with a Republican, which he is not, as opposed to thinking of him as an entertainer, which he is.”

Don't #DumpTrump – comedians need the material … #UniteBlue #p2 pic.twitter.com/uAMKe2ftb4

— Bruce Zobel (@BruceZobel) July 4, 2015

Rick Perry said, “I don’t think Donald Trump’s remarks reflect the Republican Party.”

Rather than back off his remarks, Trump insists, “If you look at the statistics of people coming, you look at the statistics on rape, on crime, on everything coming in illegally into this country it’s mind-boggling!” Trump told CNN’s Don Lemon in an interview Wednesday. “Somebody’s doing the raping! I mean somebody’s doing it! Who’s doing the raping?”

Donald Trump’s racism, homophobia, hate and opportunism are *exactly* why he’s at the top of #GOP polls right now. Why is anyone surprised?

— David Badash (@davidbadash) July 4, 2015