Timothy Meinch

tmeinch@dmreg.com

Ben Carson's caucus night criticism of "dirty tricks" from the Ted Cruz campaign escalated Tuesday with stronger language from the neurosurgeon's team and an apology from the Texas senator.

Carson, who finished fourth in Monday's Republican caucuses, criticized the winning Cruz camp of using “shameless tactics and dirty political plays" by fueling false rumors that Carson was dropping his presidential bid.

“There is no place for this kind of unethical behavior in our American political culture," Carson said in a statement Tuesday, "and it only intensifies my desire to work extremely hard to break down the ugliness in this system.”

Cruz on Tuesday said his campaign should have corrected misinformation that it shared with supporters, asking them to spread it among Carson fans before they cast ballots Monday.

Cruz in a statement Tuesday said: “… our campaign updated grassroots leaders just as we would with any breaking news story. That's fair game. What the team then should have done was send around the follow-up statement from the Carson campaign clarifying that he was indeed staying in the race.”

Ben Carson: 'I'm not going anywhere'

The breaking news referred to an article from CNN announcing Carson would take a campaign break by flying to Florida late Monday, rather than traveling immediately to New Hampshire or South Carolina where the next primaries are scheduled.

Iowa’s U.S. Rep. Steve King, who co-chairs the national Cruz campaign, interpreted that news to mean Carson was dropping out, according to a tweet he sent a 7:20 p.m. Monday: “Carson looks like he is out. Iowans need to know before they vote. Most will go to Cruz, I hope.”

Carson’s Iowa campaign co-chair, state Rep. Rob Taylor, demanded an apology from King on Tuesday, describing the campaign tactic as potential libel or slander and certainly “defamation of character.”

“This is horse s---, bottom line,” Taylor told reporters Monday night.

King posted on Twitter Tuesday afternoon “I respect Ben Carson & regret any miscommunications.”

MORE CAUCUS NIGHT COVERAGE:

Iowa caucusgoers at multiple precincts told the Register that Cruz representatives who gave speeches announced Carson was suspending his campaign.

“That was totally inappropriate,” said Barb Heki, a 60-year-old home-school leader who lives in Johnston. Heki, who caucused for and gave a speech in support of Mike Huckabee, said she was shocked to hear the attack on Carson.

“I think it would have an impact on anybody who was supporting Carson,” she said. “What were people supposed to think?”