Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad criticized Sen. Ted Cruz Thursday for employing “unfair” and “unethical” tactics to score a victory in Iowa’s Republican caucus.
Cruz was forced to apologize to fellow Republican presidential hopeful Ben Carson after his campaign implied that Carson had exited the race shortly before voting began Monday. That move has drawn the ire of several of his GOP rivals, including Donald Trump, in the days following the caucuses. Trump claimed Wednesday that Cruz “stole” the election, and called on election officials to “nullify Cruz’s results.”
“This thing that they distributed on caucus night saying that Dr. Carson was likely to drop out and his supporters should support Cruz, that is, I think, unethical and unfair,” Branstad said Thursday on Radio Iowa.
The Republican governor, who’s publicly denounced Cruz’s candidacy, also said he thinks “there will be repercussions” for the Texas senator, though he declined to offer any specifics.
“We have a strong sense of fairness in Iowa,” Branstad said. “Distributing information that was not true about a candidate right at the time people are voting in the caucuses is an inappropriate thing.”
Branstad also said that Cruz ally and Iowa Congressman Steve King likely upset a number of people by fueling the rumors about Carson’s withdrawal from the 2016 contest. King tweeted, “Carson looks like he’s out. Iowans need to know before they vote. Most will go to Cruz, I hope,” around two hours before voting kicked off Monday. He has since apologized, claiming he “regrets” the miscommunication.
“I think there are a number of people in the renewable fuels industry that are not happy with [King]” Branstad said. “I guess time will tell what happens.”
Cruz, an anti-establishment firebrand, has previously accused Branstad of being a member of the “Washington cartel.”
