Republican Rep. Steve King of Iowa is throwing in the towel for presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson, commenting on Twitter that the aclaimed neurosurgeon appears to be “out.”
King was responding to reports that Carson would be skipping the South Carolina and New Hampshire primaries, which he said voters in Iowa Monday need to know.
However, Carson’s campaign said he was not dropping out of the race and only was taking a short respite in Florida before returning to the campaign trail in New Hampshire.
King tweeted that he hoped Carson’s apparent dropping out would bode well for Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.
“Carson looks like he is out. Iowans need to know before they vote. Most will go to Cruz, I hope,” King tweeted.
Larry Ross, a spokesman for Carson, insisted in a statement that the retired neurosurgeon “is not suspending his presidential campaign, which is stronger than ever.”
“After spending 18 consecutive days on the campaign trail, Dr. Carson needs to go home and get a fresh set of clothes,” a Carson spokesman said Monday night. “He will be departing Des Moines later tonight to avoid the snow storm and will be back on the trail Wednesday. We look forward to tonight’s caucus results and to meaningful debates in New Hampshire and South Carolina.”
