DES MOINES, Iowa — Rep. Steve King is taking heat for what he posted on Twitter during the caucuses Monday night about Ben Carson.
King, the Cruz campaign’s national co-chair, retweeted CNN’s Chris Moody about Carson’s break from the campaign trail before New Hampshire’s primary.
“Carson looks like he is out. Iowans need to know before they vote. Most will go to Cruz, I hope,” King tweeted. In another tweet, the congressman said Carson’s next steps were “equivalent of suspending.”
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
CNN reports that Iowa staffer for the Cruz campaign, Spence Rogers, also suggested in an email to precinct captains that Carson may be announcing the end of his campaign next week.
Carson has criticized Cruz for the incident, saying the senator should fire the staffers responsible for the mistake. In a statement released early Tuesday directed at the Cruz campaign, he condemned the “lies and dirty tricks from opponents.”
He also tweeted, “Shameless tactics & dirty political plays defined yesterday’s #iacaucus. There is no place for this kind of behavior.”
Shameless tactics & dirty political plays defined yesterdays #iacaucus. There is no place for this kind of behavior. https://t.co/qodiVHTiQ2
— Ben & Candy Carson (@RealBenCarson) February 2, 2016
King’s first response on social media came Tuesday afternoon.
I respect Ben Carson & regret any miscommunications. Perhaps @RealBenCarson supporters r unaware of this CNN story. https://t.co/RgrljodXl1
— Steve King (@SteveKingIA) February 2, 2016
“For months, my campaign has survived the lies and dirty tricks from opponents who profess to detest the games of the political class, but in reality are masters at it,” Carson said in a release. “Even tonight, my opponents resorted to political tricks by tweeting, texting and telling precinct captains to announce that I had suspended my campaign – in some cases asking caucus goers to change their votes.”