“Ted Cruz didn’t win Iowa, he stole it”, Trump tweeted Wednesday morning in the opening salvo of a series of tweets eviscerating Cruz.
Advertisement
On NBC’s “Today” show Wednesday, Trump said he was “semi-satisfied” with his second-place finish.
Donald Trump may have a small lead in national polls, but the battle for the Republican nomination appears to be a three-man race.
“And I want to congratulate Ted and I want to congratulate all the incredible candidates”, the second-place finisher said.
Trump stated, again, Cruz was “a nasty guy”. “Most will go to Cruz, I hope”.
“I think it could’ve been with the debate”, he told reporters last night.
Rounding out the Republican field are retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson at 11%; former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Sen.
The controversy erupted after CNN reported Monday night that Carson would go home to Florida following the Iowa caucuses instead of flying directly to the early voting states New Hampshire and SC.
Some Cruz supporters quickly speculated that Carson was about to leave the race. Mr Rubio took more than 23 per cent of the vote in Iowa, anointing him as the Republican establishment candidate.
Trump also ripped Cruz over a controversial campaign mailer that aimed to get Iowans to the polls by claiming they had committed “violations”. However, the news agency revealed an even bigger surprise for the evening with Rubio very close to Texan senator Cruz with only five percent away since Cruz received 28 percent from the Republican caucus voters. Democrats were girding for a protracted slugfest between Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton, locked in a virtual tie.
“It could have been the debate”, acknowledged an less bombastic, more reflective Trump (for him, anyway) at this afternoon’s news conference in New Hampshire, where he’s campaigning in advance of that state’s February 9 primary.
Advertisement
Donald Trump isn’t taking any chances in New Hampshire despite his lead in polls, focusing Thursday on what has always been key to success in the first-in-the-nation primary: retail politics.
