Trump calls for ‘new election’ after accusing Cruz of fraud in Iowa

Donald Trump is accusing Republican presidential rival Ted Cruz of committing fraud ahead of Monday night’s Iowa caucuses, and he is calling for a “new election.”

“Based on the fraud committed by Senator Ted Cruz during the Iowa Caucus, either a new election should take place or Cruz results nullified,” Trump tweeted on Wednesday.

During primetime of the Iowa Caucus, Cruz put out a release that @RealBenCarson was quitting the race, and to caucus (or vote) for Cruz.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 3, 2016

Many people voted for Cruz over Carson because of this Cruz fraud. Also, Cruz sent out a VOTER VIOLATION certificate to thousands of voters.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 3, 2016

Based on the fraud committed by Senator Ted Cruz during the Iowa Caucus, either a new election should take place or Cruz results nullified.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 3, 2016

Earlier in the day, the real estate mogul tweeted, then quickly deleted, a claim that Cruz didn’t earn a fair victory in Iowa, saying he “illegally stole it.”

“Ted Cruz didn’t win Iowa, he illegally stole it. That is why all of the polls were so wrong any [sic] why he got more votes than anticipated. Bad!” the GOP front-runner tweeted.

The post went up Wednesday morning before being removed less than a minute later.

It was subsequently replaced with a new tweet that omitted the word “illegally.”

Ted Cruz didn’t win Iowa, he stole it. That is why all of the polls were so wrong and why he got far more votes than anticipated. Bad!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 3, 2016

Cruz’s campaign fired back at Trump in a statement emailed to media outlets.

“Reality just hit the reality star — he lost Iowa and now nobody is talking about him, so he’s popping off on Twitter,” said Cruz spokesman Rick Tyler. “There are support groups for Twitter addiction, perhaps he should find his local chapter.” 

Cruz came under fire in the days leading up to the Iowa caucuses for distributing a misleading mailer that attempted to shame recipients into turning out to vote for the Texas senator.

{mosads}Following his decisive win over the GOP field, Cruz was accused by fellow presidential candidate Ben Carson of spreading a false rumor that Carson was dropping out of the race in order to sabotage the retired neurosurgeon’s campaign.

Cruz later apologized.

At his first post-Iowa rally in Milford, N.H., Trump called Cruz “dirty,” adding “what he did to Ben Carson was a disgrace.”

Cruz won the Iowa caucus with more than 27 percent of the vote. Trump, who finished second, held the lead in polls of the state before the ballots were cast.

This story was updated at 1:40 p.m.