Ben Carson said he is surging in the polls for the GOP presidential primaries because people have taken the time to listen to him and more people will rally to his side as the 2016 race matures.
The retired neurosurgeon has surged to the head of the pack in Iowa, where he has the support of 21 percent of likely caucus participants. That puts him behind just businessman Donald Trump, at 27 percent, yet well ahead of Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who garnered 9 percent.
Mr. Carson said people are warming to him because they’ve taken stock of what he has to say.
“Part of the problem is we live in a sound-bite society,” in which people take a few phrases here and there to form a knee-jerk impression of someone, he told ABC’s “This Week.”
Mr. Carson said he didn’t mean to impugn the Republican front-runner last week when he said that “humility and fear of the Lord” are important to him, yet he didn’t “get that impression” from Mr. Trump.
Mr. Trump hit back, accusing Mr. Carson of lacking the energy to negotiate with world leaders.
Mr. Carson said his remarks were inflated by the media to stir conflict.
“They love creating a fight, they love to have a gladiator scene,” he said.
He insisted he’s looking for a broad base of support ahead of the remaining GOP debates and primary season next year.
“I’m not specifically going after Trump supporters, I’m going after everyone in America,” he said.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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