Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad says Ted Cruz's presidential campaign used "unethical and unfair" tactics against Ben Carson in Monday's caucuses when voters were told incorrectly that Carson had dropped out of the race.
"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. "I think there'll be repercussions to that."
"You know, we have a strong sense of fairness in Iowa," he said. "Distributing information that was not true about a candidate right at the time people are voting in the caucuses is an inappropriate thing."
Cruz has apologized to Carson, saying his workers misunderstood a CNN report saying he was taking time off the campaign trail to mean that he was suspending his effort.
Carson accepted the apology, but said whoever was responsible should be fired.
Iowa Rep. Steve King, who is a Carson campaign co-chairman, tweeted out the news, later apologizing for his mistake.
Branstad had urged Iowa Republicans to
vote against Cruz over the Texas senator's opposition to ethanol production mandate, which is an economic boost to Iowa's corn industry.
But Cruz's ground game, visiting all 99 of Iowa's counties, was a big boost in him securing a first-place finish over expected winner Donald Trump, Branstad admitted.
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