Sen. Ted Cruz Rafael (Ted) Edward CruzTrump argues full Supreme Court needed to settle potential election disputes Press: Notorious RBG vs Notorious GOP The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Washington on edge amid SCOTUS vacancy MORE (R-Texas) was the decisive winner in a New Hampshire caucus held by a conservative group on Saturday.

The conservative firebrand took 72.3 percent of the final vote in the several-round election that eliminated the bottom two vote-getters until one candidate was left standing.

The caucus was put on by the 603 Alliance, a group of about 700 conservative activists in the Granite State who met at the Hopkinton Fair Grounds to endorse one Republican candidate for president.

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“I am inspired by the number of New Hampshire conservatives who believe that our campaign can win,” Cruz said in a statement shortly after the results were announced. “Working together, we can win the Granite State, beat the establishment, and take on the Washington cartel.”



Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson finished second in the poll, and business executive Carly Fiorina third, the group tweeted.

Cruz was the only Republican primary candidate to make an appearance at the event. Cruz held a rally outside of the fairgrounds hours before the first vote was scheduled to take place.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) was in the state, but declined to attend the caucus, questioning why the group did not hold a more traditional straw poll-style vote instead.

The 603 Alliance said their goal is to unite support in the state behind a single candidate.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this report said former New York Gov. George Pataki attended the event.