IOWA CAUCUSES

Carson pressed about which rival he'd support

Timothy Meinch
tmeinch@dmreg.com

WEST DES MOINES, Ia. — The general election loomed in the minds of several voters Saturday at a Ben Carson campaign stop, where the Republican candidate fielded questions about how he would debate Hillary Clinton and who he might support if he drops out of the presidential race.

Republican presidential candidate, Ben Carson speaks with supporters during a campaign event at the Noah's Event Venue, Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016 in West Des Moines, Iowa.
At a campaign stop Saturday, at a shuttered school in Algona, Ben Carson said that he has “become a little disillusioned” with his rivals.

Carson sidestepped the latter question, stating that he has “become a little disillusioned” with his rivals.

“I know a lot of stuff that you don’t know about people … what they do and how they try to sabotage you under the covers,” he told the crowd in Algona.

Later on Saturday, Carson drew more than 500 people, including actor Richard Dreyfuss, to a campaign rally in West Des Moines.

In Algona, the former brain surgeon responded to a question from Brad Sherman, pastor of Solid Rock Church in Williamsburg: “Who do you think best represents your values among those who are running?”

Sherman, who ranked Carson as his likely No. 2 choice behind former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, said he gave a political answer.

“He didn’t answer it. He skirted it just like a politician would,” said Sherman, who has posed the same question to other Republican candidates.

Another attendee, committed Carson supporter Peggy Studer, asked: “If not you, then who (deserves the vote)?”

Studer, of Plover, said the question stemmed from worries about Carson’s long-term viability.

Speaking with The Des Moines Register after the event, she cited Carson’s decline in the polls and media coverage, including his lack of speaking time in the previous GOP debate, as red flags.

“I don’t know where to turn, and we’re scared he’s going to drop out at some point,” said Studer, 68.

The retired accountant added that she hoped to hear a more specific response. “He said he doesn’t like anybody, basically.”

Carson offered more specifics to a question about how he would debate Clinton.

"There’s so much fodder there, it’s just amazing," he said, adding that he would start with pointed questions about how she handled details after the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya.

Carson, who led several polls in Iowa in October, now sits in fourth (with 10 percent of the vote) behind Sen. Marco Rubio, Sen. Ted Cruz and Donald Trump, according to a Des Moines Register/Bloomberg Politics Poll released Saturday evening.

Retired Army Major Gen. Robert Dees told the Register that the campaign remained unfazed by the poll standings and encouraged by exceptional numbers in general favorability among Iowa voters.

"We're very well postured with our ground game in Iowa to do very well," Dees said. "I think a lot of people are going to be surprised and he will greatly exceed expectations.

Co-chair of the Iowa campaign, Iowa Rep. Rob Taylor, said earlier this week that the campaign has gotten commitment from 40,000 Iowans who plan to caucus for Carson on Monday.

“That’s pretty substantial,” he said.

He and other staff say many dedicated supporters include first-time participants in the first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses.

ABOUT THE EVENT

SETTING: An auditorium at a shuttered middle school in Algona; Noah's event center in West Des Moines

CROWD: About 200 in Algona; more than 500 people were screened by secret service for the West Des Moines rally.

REACTION: The Algona crowd welcomed Ben Carson with a standing ovation and applauded a couple of times during his short speech, which was followed by a longer question-and-answer session with the audience; Carson was welcomed with a rowdy crowd that chanted, gave multiple standing ovations, waved signs and screamed. Due to reaching capacity, Carson gave shorter speeches to small groups of voters who were denied access in the event space.

WHAT’S NEXT: Carson is holding Sunday stops in Dubuque and Manchester. On Monday, he will host events in Spencer, Decorah and Cedar Rapids before a caucus party in West Des Monies.