I’ve heard a lot of chatter on talk radio around here about Carson over the last couple of days and how he is “Trump without the negatives”. So it sort of plays right into this assertion.
I saw them playing up a poll in Iowa that has Carson tied with Trump. I doubt it, but they may be trying to give Trump a loss in Iowa that allows them to push the narrative that Trump lost a state he was supposed to win. They will then use this narrative to try to take Trump down in NH. I don’t think this strategy will work, I think Trump can win Iowa and fill up a few stadiums along the way, but the GOPe doesn’t have much to work with here. They’re pushing Jeb after all.
Looking at the Iowa polling, this tactic might have some traction.