Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump on Wednesday claimed that GOP rival Ted Cruz had committed "fraud" on his way to winning the Iowa caucuses Monday night. The billionaire businessman called for a new election or for Cruz's win to be overturned, saying that the Texas senator and his team misled voters with mailers before the election and misinformation about Ben Carson's status on the night of the race.
"Ted Cruz didn't win Iowa, he stole it. That is why all of the polls were so wrong and why he got far more votes than anticipated. Bad!" Trump said in a Twitter post Wednesday morning. "Based on the fraud committed by Senator Ted Cruz during the Iowa Caucus, either a new election should take place or Cruz results nullified," he tweeted in a follow-up.
Ted Cruz didn't win Iowa, he stole it. That is why all of the polls were so wrong and why he got far more votes than anticipated. Bad!
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 3, 2016
Based on the fraud committed by Senator Ted Cruz during the Iowa Caucus, either a new election should take place or Cruz results nullified. - Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 3, 2016
Trump finished in second in Iowa after leading the polls there for months. After losing the state, Trump was credited for being a gracious runner-up, thanking Iowans in a speech that night. However, on Tuesday, Trump swung between thanking Iowa voters for their strong support to saying it wasn't worth spending his own money on the race because voters didn't appreciate it, The New York Times reported.
Later on Wednesday, Trump returned to Cruz as his focus and reiterated his call for Monday's results to be amended, hitting Cruz with the label of "total fraud."
The State of Iowa should disqualify Ted Cruz from the most recent election on the basis that he cheated- a total fraud!
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 3, 2016
For his part, Cruz mocked Trump for his "Trumper-tantrum." "It is no surprise that Donald is throwing yet another temper tantrum - or if you like, another Trumpertantrum," Cruz said at a press conference in New Hampshire, according to National Review. "It seems his reaction to everything is to throw a fit, and I understand that Donald finds it very hard to lose. But at the end of the day, the people of Iowa spoke."
