Candidates now move on to the New Hampshire caucuses next week, where Trump is, again, leading Cruz in the polls going in.
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Trump signed a so-called GOP loyalty pledge last summer but has since suggested he’s still open to an independent bid if the Republican Party treats him unfairly.
Cruz’s campaign dismissed Trump’s claims with humor.
Cruz, whose mailers were condemned by the Iowa secretary of state, said before the caucuses he wouldn’t apologize “for using every tool we can to encourage Iowa voters to come out and vote”, according to USA Today. Speaking to reporters at the Trestle restaurant, Cruz said Trump is proving himself unfit to be President.
The bombastic billionaire has been on a notable tear in the days since he finished second in the Iowa caucuses, placing well behind Texas Sen. Several social media users tweeted screengrabs of an alleged deleted tweet from Trump’s official account, in which he said Cruz had “illegally” stolen the vote.
During an appearance on a morning political talk show, Trump lambasted political pundits for the praise Rubio has received after Iowa.
He criticised Mr Cruz for putting out a statement saying that a fellow candidate, retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, was quitting the race, and accused Mr Cruz of lying to thousands of voters about Mr Trump’s policies.
“Well, you know, I’m in New Hampshire now, and I’m not even thinking about it”, Trump said on a Boston radio show on Friday.
“Trump leads, but will he close it out this time?” said Dr. Lee M. Miringoff, director of the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion.
Trump doesn’t like to share the spotlight and the Cruz flap has helped him figure out a way to get back on the front page.
“For a guy known for making bombastic, off-the-wall speeches, Donald Trump’s Iowa speech was something genuinely new: a conventional concession speech”, Timothy B. Lee wrote on Vox. “I’m really honored. And I want to congratulate Ted, and I want to congratulate all of the incredible candidates”, he said.
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“I think that the good old simple system where you walk in and you cast your vote, like we have, as an example, in New Hampshire, I think it’s better”.
