Story highlights At an Iowa town hall, Ted Cruz said he doesn't believe Donald Trump will be the Republican nominee

Cruz is one of the only opponents Donald Trump hasn't attacked during his candidacy

Coralville, Iowa (CNN) Ted Cruz doesn't want any part of the media-created "food fight" between the other Republican candidates and front-runner Donald Trump.

But that's not because Cruz thinks Trump will be the Republican nominee.

"Let me be very clear: I don't believe Donald Trump is gonna be the nominee, I don't believe he's gonna be our president. And I actually think the men and women in this room have something powerful to say about it. One of the reasons I love the state of Iowa, because in Iowa, y'all take politics seriously," Cruz said at a town hall meeting Monday in Iowa.

"Well, he's gotta say that," Trump said later Monday, during an impromptu press conference in New York City. "I will be leading in every poll, and leading by actually very wide margins. So I think I will be (the nominee)."

Cruz is one of the only opponents Trump hasn't attacked during his candidacy. In September, they even joined forces at a rally opposing the Iran nuclear deal on Capitol Hill.

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