The 2016 Blast The latest POLITICO scoops and coverage of the 2016 elections. Email Sign Up

Tweets from https://twitter.com/politico/lists/team-politico



"For months, my campaign has survived the lies and dirty tricks from opponents who profess to to detest the games of the political class, but in reality are masters at it," Ben Carson said. | AP Photo Carson accuses opponents of 'lies and dirty tricks'

Ben Carson on Monday night accused his opponents of conducting "dirty tricks" directed at his campaign and after the results from the Iowa caucus came in, spreading the false rumor that he had suspended his campaign.

Carson made the claim in an email to supporters after Sen. Ted Cruz was declared the winner of the Iowa caucuses. Carson came in fourth with 9.3 percent of the vote, behind Cruz, Donald Trump, and Sen. Marco Rubio.

"For months, my campaign has survived the lies and dirty tricks from opponents who profess to to detest the games of the political class, but in reality are masters at it," Carson said in the email. "Even tonight, my opponents resorted to political tricks by tweeting, texting and telling precinct captains to announce that I had suspended my campaign - in some cases asking caucus goers to change their votes."

Carson went on to say he partially decided to run for president "to stop these deceptive and destructive practices, and these reports have only further steeled my resolve to continue and fight for 'We The People,' and return control of the government back to them."

In a minor flap earlier in the evening, CNN briefly reported that Carson was not planning on heading to New Hampshire or South Carolina after Iowa, leading to speculation that he was planning to drop out of the race.

Not so: "[email protected] will be going to Florida to get fresh clothes b4 heading back out on the campaign trail. Not standing down," tweeted Jason Osborne, the Carson campaign's senior communications strategist.