WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump dismissed any potential competition from Sen. Ted Cruz in Iowa during a post-debate stop in the state on Friday.
When asked by reporters during a pitstop at a Pizza Ranch why he didn’t mention Cruz much during his morning rally in Urbandale, Trump simply replied, “What’s to mention?”
Later on, Trump was asked if he planned to hit back at Cruz after Thursday’s debate.
“I think I’ve already done that,” Trump said with a wry smile.
The comments come after Trump and Cruz engaged in multiple back-and-forths during the debate, especially over Cruz’s birthplace and Trump’s “New York values.”
Trump stopped by the Iowa eatery for about 15 minutes to shake hands and engage in retail politics, with his campaign paying for supporters to eat at the campaign trail staple after the Urbandale event.
In addition, Trump, who was making his inaugural stop at a Pizza Ranch, touted the endorsement of the chain’s president and co-founder Adrie Groeneweg, who was in attendance.
“I’m tired of the regular politician,” said Groeneweg, telling reporters he will be a first-time caucus-goer on Feb. 1. “He’s somebody that says it the way it is … He talks about how he’s not politically correct. He’s not, and I like that about the guy. I’m tired of all the politically correct people out there that can’t do anything or say anything anymore.”
The stop was a rare one for Trump, who almost exclusively holds rallies at arenas and various other large venues. However, he said he had a reason to make this exception.
“You know why? ‘Cause I like the pizza,” he told reporters.
Unfortunately for Trump’s taste buds, he did not eat the pizza.
Trump is slated to attend former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown’s “No BS Backyard BBQ” in Portsmouth, N.H., on Saturday. His next event in Iowa is on Tuesday in Winterset at the John Wayne Birthplace Museum.
