Last night on CNN, an “Election Alert” blared across the screen.
Just as Iowa voters were beginning to caucus, the host frantically told views that Ben Carson was “taking a break” and heading down to Florida. The candidate would skip the New Hampshire primary.
Very, very odd.
As it turns out, the neurosurgeon was heading home to get a “fresh set of clothes.”
Still wacky as ever.
Here’s the official line from his campaign:
Carson camp statement: He’s only going home after IA to “get a fresh set of clothes” pic.twitter.com/aJPwIFAG1S
— Benjy Sarlin (@BenjySarlin) February 2, 2016
But Ted Cruz’s camp didn’t hesitate to take advantage of the caucus night gaffe and sent troops into caucus sites to tell voters that Ben Carson had suspended his campaign. Carson was not too happy about it. The candidate told Fox News, “At many of the precincts, the information was disseminated that I was suspending my campaign, that I had dropped out. And anybody who was planning to vote for me was wasting their vote and therefore they should reconsider. “If he didn’t know about this, he needs to get rid of the people who were responsible for that,” Carson said. “And if he did know about it, then he needs to — he needs to come out and admit what he did and try to offer a solution.” The anti-establishment candidate, Carson, was correct about what Cruz had done as one of Cruz’s Iowa organizers left evidence behind:
Carson looks like he is out. Iowans need to know before they vote. Most will go to Cruz, I hope. https://t.co/lW5Js50EMA — Steve King (@SteveKingIA) February 2, 2016
Ben Carson finished fourth with only 9.3% of the vote, although he outperformed the polls that had him at 8%.
Does Cruz owe Carson an apology or was this a case of caucus night confusion?