Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina blasted her exclusion from the ABC Republican debate as a declaration that the vote in Iowa doesn’t count and “an afront to Iowans and New Hampshirites” in an interview broadcast on Friday’s “Special Report” on the Fox News Channel.
Fiorina said, “It’s a rigged game. The people of New Hampshire, and the people of Iowa should be furious. Because, you see the people of Iowa voted, and I beat [Ohio Governor] John Kasich and [New Jersey Governor] Chris Christie and I tied [former Florida Governor Jeb Bush] in delegate count and there are only eight candidates left. And yet somehow, ABC and the RNC are saying, ‘Well, that vote doesn’t count.’ And the people in New Hampshire should be furious, because this is a New Hampshire primary, and somehow New Nampshire is being told, the voters of New Hampshire are being told, ‘No, you don’t get on hear from all eight candidates. We, media executives in New York, and the RNC in Washington, DC, we’re going to decide who you get on hear from.’ That’s an affront to Iowans and New Hampshirites.”
When asked about the RNC’s response that former candidates former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee and Kentucky Senator Rand Paul each received a delegate, but weren’t going to be allowed in the debate, and subsequently dropped out, Fiorina countered, “Mike Huckabee and Rand Paul dropped out because they’ve got nowhere to go. Rand Paul dropped out because he has a Senate seat to defend. I have ground games in 12 states, leadership teams in 25 states. I’m on the ballot in 33 states. We’re going to be on the ballot in all 50 states, and there are a couple guys on that stage who cannot say any of that. So, I’ve earned my way onto this stage, and the voters ought to be furious.
Fiorina was also questioned on those who say by staying in, she’s helping Donald Trump or Texas Senator Ted Cruz win the nomination. She responded, “You know, the last time I looked, voters have a say in elections. I didn’t think it was up to the political establishment to decide. I didn’t think it was up to the media establishment to decide. I thought it was up to voters decide. So, let’s let the voters decide.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
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