Ben Carson’s campaign clarified that Carson’s plan to leave Iowa Monday night for his home in Florida was not a sign that he was ready to throw in the towel nor even take a vacation from the trail.
His spokesman Jason Osborne tweeted that Carson was leaving Iowa a little early to avoid a winter storm heading for the state and stopping in Florida to “get fresh clothes.” In an email to TPM, he said Carson will be in Washington, D.C., Wednesday and Thursday for “campaign events,” and then on to New Hampshire.
It was initially reported that Carson was headed to Florida for a little R&R, which some took as a sign that he wasn’t committed to his presidential campaign. Osborne tweeted, however, that Carson was “not standing down.”
Carson is currently polling fourth in Iowa, according to Real Clear Politics’ polling averages, and eighth in New Hampshire.
Update: Ted Cruz’s campaign jumped on the news that Carson was traveling to Florida to encourage Cruz supporters to recruit Carson fans, according to Texas Tribune’s Aman Batheja.
The smart message the @tedcruz campaign just sent their most committed backers in #Iowa: pic.twitter.com/Zb93zjMtB3
— Aman Batheja (@amanbatheja) February 2, 2016
