Donald Trump

Graham was critical of Trump's recent derogatory comments about Mexican immigrants and calls the issue a "defining moment" for Republicans. He says on CNN's "State of the Union" that if the GOP doesn't reject Trump's views, "we will have lost our way."

In a weekend appearance in Phoenix that drew thousands, Trump repeated his assertions that Mexico was sending violent offenders to the U.S. to harm Americans.

Trump's speech in Phoenix follows an event in Las Vegas as the candidate draws adoring crowds following his divisive comments about the border and Mexican immigrants. 

In Phoenix, a standing-room-only crowd of supporters carried signs reading "Make America Great Again" and "Truth Trumps All."

"Let's not put carts before horses," the two-term governor told reporters in Washington, where he was trying to rally support for a possible bid for the GOP presidential nomination.

"We have a month to go, so let's see what happens," Kasich said, adding that he'll announce whether he's running on July 21.

The first confrontation between GOP hopefuls, set for Aug. 6, is to take place in Kasich's own state. Debate organizers at Fox News Channel, backed by the Republican National Committee, have limited the debate to the top 10 candidates in national polling.

The GOP businessman issued a statement Monday responding to critics in and out of his party. Trump called Mexican immigrants criminals and rapists as he launched his presidential bid last month.

Several businesses, including NBC, Univision and Macy's department stores, have cut ties with Trump.

In his new statement, Trump says "the Mexican government is forcing their most unwanted people into the United States." In many cases, he says, they are "criminals, drug dealers, rapists, etc."

Several 2016 contenders have brushed off Trump's comments while others have ignored them. Marco Rubio, a Florida senator who is Hispanic, denounced them as "not just offensive and inaccurate, but also divisive," after declining for two weeks to address the matter directly. Another Hispanic in the race, Ted Cruz, said Trump is "terrific," ''brash" and "speaks the truth."

It's an uncomfortable moment for Republicans, who want more votes from the surging Latino population.

The suit against Univision for dropping the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants claims breach of contract, defamation and First Amendment violations, and contends Univision turned on him because it supports Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton for president.

Posted on the Change.org website, the petition calls out NBC of choosing business over "ethics, principles and values" in the wake of Trump's recent statements when declaring his candidacy for president. 

Among his remarks, the GOP hopeful portrayed immigrants from Mexico as "bringing drugs, they're bringing crime, they're rapists, and some, I assume, are good people."

Univision said Thursday it would pull the plug on its Spanish-language coverage of the pageant July 12 by its UniMas network. It also has severed its business relationship with the Miss Universe Organization, which produces the Miss USA pageant, due to what it called "insulting remarks about Mexican immigrants" by Trump, a part owner of Miss Universe.