Trump admits he may have lost Iowa because of debate snub

[mystery-ak]

http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/267993-trump-admits-he-may-have-lost-iowa-because-of-debate-snub

February 02, 2016, 08:15 pm
Trump admits he may have lost Iowa because of debate snub

By Elliot Smilowitz

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump acknowledged Tuesday that his snub of Fox News’ GOP debate last week may have caused him to lose the Iowa caucuses.

"That could've been with the debate," Trump said in Milford, N.H. "I think some people were disappointed that I didn't go into the debate."

But Trump said he has no regrets, noting he brought in $6 million for veterans’ groups at the fundraising event he did instead of the debate.

The billionaire businessman said he still did “very well” in Iowa despite finishing in second behind rival Ted Cruz, saying expectations were too high.

“I guess what did happen is one poll came out that said we were four or five points ahead and maybe built up a false expectation for some people,” he said.

"People didn't talk about my second place. They didn't talk about it as positively as they should have."

Asked whether the loss in Iowa hurt Trump’s brand as a winner, he responded: “I think my brand's doing great.”

[HAPPY2BME]

Unless one were to poll every single Republican who voted for Ted Cruz over Donald Trump, we will never know if his skipping the last Fox debate is what gave Cruz the (3-point) win.

The rest is conjecture, which is half of what there is to go by going forward.

conjecture

  : a proposition (as in mathematics) before it has been proved or disproved

[Scottftlc]

When you are talking 6,000 votes, it doesn't take a lot of movement. It could be that, it could just be the evangelicals coming out in huge numbers, it could have been Cruz' buses 

[Formerly Once-Ler]

When you are talking 6,000 votes, it doesn't take a lot of movement. It could be that, it could just be the evangelicals coming out in huge numbers, it could have been Cruz' buses 

It could be that Iowa Republican's don't believe Trump shares their values.  I can't speak for conservatives but as a extreme moderate I don't think Trump really shares my values on issues like God, taxes, abortion, guns, and government spending.  I believe both Cruz and Rubio share my values on those issues.

It warms my heart to know the evangelicals were motivated to come out in force.  They came out in record numbers in 2004 and it won a lot of elections down ballot.