"Cruz Iowa staffer Spence Rogers sent precinct captains an email during the caucus hinting that Carson planned to leave the race, despite the fact that Carson's campaign said he would continue.
"Breaking News. The press is reporting that Dr. Ben Carson is taking time off from the campaign trail after Iowa and making a big announcement next week," the email, acquired by CNN, read. "Please inform any Carson caucus goers of this news and urge them to caucus for Ted Cruz."
Meanwhile, Cruz surrogate Iowa Rep. Steve King told followers on Twitter that "Carson looks like he is out."
Carson looks like he is out. Iowans need to know before they vote. Most will go to Cruz, I hope. https://t.co/lW5Js50EMA— Steve King (@SteveKingIA) February 2, 2016
Carson told Fox News his wife, Candy, had to correct the misinformation at one event.
"She spoke at one of the caucus sites and before she got there one of the Cruz people had again disseminated that information to the crowd," he said. "And one of the organizers told her 'I'm so glad you're here, so you could set the record straight.' And she did and we actually won in that precinct."
Carson's campaign was furious when they first learned of the tactic, and Carson decried it as a "dirty trick" during remarks Monday night at a party with supporters in West Des Moines.
"This is really a dirty trick," Carson said. "This makes me more determined than ever to keep going."
Cruz's campaign defended the Rogers message to the precinct captains.
"Carson said he was taking time off to go home. We simply repeated what he said," Cruz spokeswoman Catherine Frazier said Monday. "Our email simply stated the facts."
When asked what the "big announcement" mentioned in the email referred to, Frazier did not respond."
http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/01/politics/ben-carson-home-florida-iowa-caucuses/index.html